New Delhi: What is in a name, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani asked Wednesday, taking objection to government schemes and institutions being named after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Government schemes and institutions should be kept away from party politics, Advani said while speaking in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint session of parliament.
"(Some) 450 central and state government schemes and institutions involving tens of thousands of crores (of rupees) from the public exchequer have been named after three individuals," Advani said, apparently referring to Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi - all former prime ministers and icons of the Congress party.
The BJP leader referred to a letter written by a journalist to the Election Commission, accusing the Congress party of taking undue electoral advantage from these schemes.
The programmes include the Rs.28,000 crore Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (rural electrification programme), Rs.7,400 crore Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission, the Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers, the Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (to promote small enterprises) and two insurance schemes -- the Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana and the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana.
Likewise, there are many programmes named after Indira Gandhi and Nehru like the Indira Avvas Yojana, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, the Jahawarlal Nehru Rojgar Yojana and the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, March 03, 2010, 17:49