Raj Bhavan to be renamed as Lok Bhavan; Governor to make official announcement tomorrow

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Raj Bhavan, the Governor’s official residence, will be known as Lok Bhavan from tomorrow. Governor Rajendra Arlekar, who had travelled to his home state Goa, will make the official announcement tomorrow after he returns to the state capital. It was the Kerala Governor who had suggested renaming all Raj Bhavans as Lok Bhavans during the Governors’ Conference held last year in the presence of the President. Following this, on November 25, the Union Home Ministry issued a notification directing that Raj Bhavans and Raj Niwas (residences of Lieutenant Governors) across the country be renamed Lok Bhavan and Lok Niwas.

In West Bengal, where Anand Bose is the Governor, the Raj Bhavans in Kolkata and Darjeeling were renamed on Saturday itself. The term Raj Bhavan means the ruler’s residence, while Lok Bhavan means the people’s residence. The NDA government aims to make Raj Bhavans more people-friendly and strengthen the Governor’s presence in the states. Several Governors close to the BJP have already been organising many programmes at Raj Bhavans to directly engage with the public. The name change is also part of an effort to shed symbols associated with British colonial heritage.