Online petition urging the government to change the name of Rajiv Gandhi National Park

Medikeri : An online petition urging the government to change the name of Rajiv Gandhi National Park – which was originally called Nagarahole and is widely known as such – is gaining traction.

The petition – launched by Naveen Madappa and Vinay Kaypanda has garnered over 6,000 signatures so far and argues that the park was originally known as Nagarahole and was renamed after Rajiv Gandhi ‘to please a particular family and its party’.

It has called for either reverting to its original name or rename it after Field Marshal Cariappa who was also from Kodagu. The petitioners say Indian citizens need to be recognized and not just a few politicians.

The petition has also been addressed to the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Myuru MP Pratap Simha and the PMO.

The petition comes in the wake of a similar demand made by the BJP leader C.T. Ravi to rename Indira Canteens as Annapoorneshwari canteens which has triggered a political row.