'Concept of Shahenshah...': Priyanka Gandhi's swipe over renaming of Rashtrapati Bhavan halls

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday announced that two of the important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan -- namely, ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ -- have been renamed as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’ respectively.

According to an official statement from the President's office, the renaming was part of making the ambience of the Rashtrapati Bhavan "reflective of the Indian cultural values and ethos".

"Durbar Hall is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations such as the presentation of National Awards. The term 'Durbar' refers to courts and assemblies of Indian rulers and the British. It lost relevance after India became a Republic, that is, ‘Ganatantra’. The concept of ‘Ganatantra’ is deeply rooted in Indian society since the ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue," the statement said.

"Ashok Hall was originally a ballroom. The word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is “free from all sufferings” or is “bereft of any sorrow”. Also, ‘Ashoka’ refers to Emperor Ashok, a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence. The National Emblem of the Republic of India is the lion capital of Ashok from Sarnath. The word also refers to the Ashok tree which has deep significance in Indian religious traditions as well as arts and culture. Renaming ‘Ashok Hall’ as ‘Ashok Mandap’ brings uniformity in language and removes the traces of anglicisation while upholding the key values associated with the word 'Ashok'," it added further.