BJP MLA opposes Lansdowne rename to Jaswant Garh, says it will hit tourism

A proposal to rename Uttarakhand’s well-known cantonment town Lansdowne has triggered a political and public row, with a BJP MLA urging the Centre to scrap the move, warning it could hurt tourism and the local economy.

Lansdowne MLA Dilip Rawat has written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, calling the proposed renaming of the cantonment as “Jaswant Garh” “extremely regrettable”.

In his letter, Rawat said Lansdowne has built a strong identity on the global tourism map and any change in name could weaken its recognition.

“It has come to my notice that the process of renaming Lansdowne Cantonment is underway, which is extremely regrettable,” he wrote.

He warned that the move would “severely damage” the town’s standing as a tourist destination and affect livelihoods in Pauri Garhwal district.

Rawat also said residents were not in favour of altering the town’s name.

QUESTIONS OVER RENAMING LOGIC

Speaking further, the MLA questioned the rationale behind replacing colonial-era names without improving infrastructure.

“If you want to change something, change the facilities and the condition of the town. Mere nomenclature achieves nothing,” he said.

He added that if the aim was to erase “slave mentality”, then names like Goa, Lansdowne Chowk in Dehradun and Corbett National Park should also be reconsidered.

PROPOSAL SEEKS PUBLIC FEEDBACK

The row follows an April 10 notice issued by the Lansdowne Cantonment Board, inviting objections and suggestions on renaming the town after 1962 war hero Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat.

The board’s CEO Harshit Raj Singh said the proposal was sent following Central directives and feedback from stakeholders was being sought through public notices and advertisements.

ARMY LINK, PROTEST WARNING

Rawat also pointed to the town’s deep ties with the Indian Army, noting that lakhs of soldiers have trained at the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre.

He warned of protests if the move goes ahead against public sentiment. “I will stand with the people in an organised protest,” he said.

BACKDROP OF CIVIC ISSUES

The renaming debate comes amid existing concerns among residents over delays in converting the cantonment’s civil areas into a municipal body.

Lansdowne has been without an elected board since February 10, 2020, and is currently run by an ad hoc committee.

The town, established as a cantonment in 1887, continues to function under the Cantonments Act.

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