New Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that the central government has decided to rename Port Blair as “Sri Vijaya Puram”, saying the decision was taken to “free the nation of colonial imprints”. Port Blair is the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
“Inspired by PM @narendramodi ji’s vision to free the nation of colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as “Sri Vijaya Puram”, Shah said in a post on Twitter.
The Home Minister pointed out that the previous name had a “colonial legacy” while the new name, Sri Vijaya Puram, symbolises the victory we achieved in our struggle for independence.
“The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a unique place in our freedom struggle and history. This island territory, which once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire, is today set to become an important base for our strategic and development aspirations,” he said.
Shah further said: “This is also the place where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose ji hoisted our tricolour for the first time and it is also the Cellular Jail where Veer Savarkar ji and other freedom fighters fought for an independent nation.” Several senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, welcomed the decision on social media platform X and shared their views.
PM Modi wrote: “The name Sri Vijayapuram honours the rich history and heroic people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It also reflects our commitment to break free from colonial mindset and celebrate our heritage.”
Union Health Minister JP Nadda wrote: “The previous name echoed colonial rule, but now every mention of Sri Vijayapuram will serve as a tribute to the resilience and sacrifice of our freedom fighters who fought to break the shackles of colonial oppression. This renaming is an important step towards embracing a future free from colonial imprints.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote: “Today is a historic day as we rename Port Blair as ‘Shri Vijayapuram’. This is a big step towards connecting with our cultural heritage under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji.”
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wrote, “This is a commendable move, a step towards freeing our country from the colonial legacy. The renaming is a powerful tribute to the indomitable spirit of our freedom fighters and honours the important role played by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in our freedom struggle.”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami wrote: “The naming of Shri Vijayapuram is dedicated to highlighting the historical importance and glorious traditions of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The work of freeing the country from the symbols of slavery is commendable.”