Bihar cabinet renames two institutions named after Sanjay Gandhi

PATNA: The cabinet led by Samrat Choudhary in Bihar has decided to rename two institutions named after Sanjay Gandhi. The Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park has been renamed as “Patna Zoo,” while the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology will now be called the “Bihar State Institute of Dairy Technology.” The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday evening.

These institutions were named after Sanjay Gandhi, the son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, during the Congress rule in Bihar. The BJP-led government has decided to remove his name, citing his association with the Emergency period.

The renaming decision was taken in the second cabinet meeting of the new government. Sanjay Gandhi’s wife Maneka Gandhi and son Varun Gandhi are members of the BJP, though they are reportedly not closely aligned with the current party leadership.

The biological park was originally established in 1973 as Patna Zoo. It was renamed after Sanjay Gandhi in 1980 by the Congress government led by Jagannath Mishra.