In a significant move to distance official nomenclature from the colonial past, the official residence and office of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, has been formally renamed. Raj Niwas in New Delhi is now officially known as Lok Niwas. This change follows directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Lieutenant Governor himself.
A Directive to Shed Colonial Legacy
The renaming initiative stems from a broader push by the central government. The decision was formalized through a notification issued by the Lieutenant Governor's secretariat. The move aligns with a suggestion made during the conference of governors held last year, which argued that the term 'Raj Bhavan' or 'Raj Niwas' carries colonial connotations. The home ministry subsequently issued a directive to states and union territories to adopt the more people-centric 'Lok Bhavan' or 'Lok Niwas'.
Reflecting this change, the official X (formerly Twitter) handle managed by the LG secretariat has also been updated to 'Lok Niwas Delhi'. This development in the national capital comes just a day after the new complex housing the Prime Minister's Office was christened 'Seva Teerth'. That complex was previously known as the 'Executive Enclave' under the Central Vista Redevelopment project.
Widespread Adoption Across States
Delhi is not an isolated case in this administrative rebranding. Eight states and one union territory had already implemented similar changes prior to Delhi's announcement, acting on the MHA's directive. The states that have removed the word 'Raj' from the name of their governor's or lieutenant governor's official residence-cum-office are:
- West Bengal
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
- Assam
- Uttarakhand
- Odisha
- Gujarat
- Tripura
Furthermore, the Union Territory of Ladakh has also renamed its Raj Niwas, the official seat of Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta, to Lok Niwas. This indicates a concerted, nationwide effort to transition away from terminology perceived as a relic of the British era.
Symbolism and Modern Governance
The shift from 'Raj' (which can mean 'rule' or 'reign') to 'Lok' (meaning 'people') is deeply symbolic. It represents an attempt to reframe the perception of these high offices from seats of authority to spaces of public service. The renaming of Delhi's Raj Niwas to Lok Niwas places it firmly within this new narrative of a governance model that emphasizes connectivity with the citizenry.
While the change is primarily in name, it underscores the current government's focus on decolonizing Indian institutions and spaces. The rapid succession of the PMO complex renaming and the LG residence renaming highlights a continued policy focus on updating symbols of state to reflect contemporary Indian values and aspirations.
