New Delhi, February 24: Amid a controversy over naming the Motera cricket stadium in Ahmedabad after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government on Wednesday (February 24) clarified that the sports complex continues in the name of Sardar Patel Stadium. Union Minister Prakash Javaedkar said it was the Motera stadium that was renamed after Modi, who hails from the region.
The commotion erupted soon after President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, which has been branded as the 'Narendra Modi Stadium.'
The social media space was flooded with remarks including by some leaders of the Congress and other Opposition parties who alleged that the renaming exercise amounted to an "insult" to Sardar Patel.
Javadekar, however, told reporters that only the Motera stadium has been renamed and the complex continues to be named after Vallabhbhai Patel. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was present alongside Javadekar at the media briefing after a cabinet meeting, took a swipe at the Congress leaders, asking whether party chief Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi have so far praised the world's tallest statue of Sardar Patel erected at Kevadiya in Gujarat.
Prasad continued, "I want to say this with full responsibility that a tourist place getting global praise has not been visited yet or praised by the two Congress leaders. What else is there to say?" Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "Maybe they just realised the stadium was named for a Home Minister who had banned their parent organisation! Or maybe this is advance booking to ensure the next visiting Head of State is hosted here, like Trump? Or is this the beginning of a legacy-creation-thru-labelling spree (sic)?"
His party colleague Rajeev Satav said, "Renaming Motera cricket stadium from Sardar Patel to Narendra Modi is an absolute disgrace. This shows how narcissistic our PM has become. This is outrageous and a clear sign of autocratic dictatorship."