Why Are There Places Named After Sanjay Gandhi?

Why Are There Places Named After Sanjay Gandhi – A Question of Public Memory and Democratic Integrity?

India is a land where public spaces often bear the names of political leaders. Roads, hospitals, parks, airports, and universities across the country are named to honor individuals who shaped its political, cultural, or national history. However, not all such names reflect democratic values or public consensus. One of the most glaring examples of this contradiction is the continued naming of public institutions and landmarks after Sanjay Gandhi, a political figure whose legacy is riddled with controversy. This leads to an obvious question: why are there places named after Sanjay Gandhi?

To many, this is not just questionable—it’s downright ridiculous.

Who Was Sanjay Gandhi?

Sanjay Gandhi was the younger son of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. Though he never held an elected office, he wielded enormous political influence during the Emergency period (1975–77), a time when India’s democracy was suspended, civil liberties curtailed, and the press gagged. Sanjay, unelected and unaccountable, acted as a de facto power center in the government, directing ministries and enforcing policies with authoritarian zeal.

His infamous legacy includes:

  • Mass forced sterilizations in the name of population control.
  • Demolition of slums in Delhi without proper rehabilitation.
  • Suppression of dissent and arbitrary arrests.

Instead of being held accountable for these anti-democratic actions, Sanjay Gandhi was elevated in the Congress party’s internal circles as a leader-in-the-making. After his death in a plane crash in 1980, efforts to memorialize him intensified. This included naming parks, hospitals, and roads after him.

Naming in a Democracy – A Misuse of Power?

In a true democracy, public institutions and landmarks should bear the names of those who represent the nation’s ideals—freedom, equality, justice, and service. Sanjay Gandhi’s actions during the Emergency stand in stark contrast to these values. Naming places after him reflects not a celebration of public service but rather the misuse of power by a political dynasty to elevate their own family members.

Many of the places named after Sanjay Gandhi were done so under Congress-led governments that had little resistance due to their dominance in Indian politics. These names were imposed without public consultation or historical justification, turning public spaces into platforms for political legacy-building.

Examples of Places Named After Him

There are several prominent places named after Sanjay Gandhi:

  • Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai
  • Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, Delhi
  • Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Bangalore
  • Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Lucknow
  • Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, Patna
  • Various roads, colonies, and wards across India

These institutions serve millions and are often centers of excellence. But their names raise a moral and democratic question: Should such critical institutions memorialize a man who epitomized undemocratic governance?

Cult of Personality and Dynastic Politics

The naming spree around Sanjay Gandhi is a classic example of the cult of personality and dynastic politics that plagued India during the post-independence decades. After Sanjay’s untimely death, Congress and Indira Gandhi worked hard to preserve and even romanticize his image. His widow, Maneka Gandhi, eventually entered politics, and his son, Varun Gandhi, is now a Member of Parliament.

This trend of naming places after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family—sometimes deserving, but often not—reflects an unhealthy dominance of one family over national institutions. Sanjay Gandhi’s case is the most disturbing because he never even held constitutional office, let alone achieved anything of lasting democratic or humanitarian value.

Why Hasn’t the Modi Government Changed This?

Given the BJP’s emphasis on decolonization, de-dynastification, and reclaiming Indian heritage, it’s fair to ask: Why hasn’t the Modi government renamed places that bear Sanjay Gandhi’s name?

There are a few possible explanations:

  1. Strategic Focus: The BJP has targeted bigger symbolic names—like changing Aurangzeb Road or renaming Mughal Gardens—rather than focusing on relatively smaller, though controversial, figures like Sanjay Gandhi.
  2. Avoiding Perceptions of Vindictiveness: The BJP may not want to be seen as obsessed with erasing the Gandhi family name, especially for figures whose legacy is already self-discrediting.
  3. Administrative Complexity: Renaming public institutions involves state and municipal approvals, and in many cases, the BJP may not control those jurisdictions.
  4. Public Familiarity: Some names, like Sanjay Gandhi National Park, have become entrenched in public consciousness. Changing them could face local resistance or confusion, regardless of the figure’s legacy.

Nonetheless, the Modi government has faced criticism for not being bold enough in confronting the remnants of dynastic glorification where it matters.

What Should Be Done?

The issue of place-naming should ideally be depoliticized and democratized. A few steps that can be considered include:

  • Public Review Committees: A non-partisan committee can be formed to review existing names of public institutions and suggest renaming those that do not align with constitutional values.
  • Prioritize Merit and Contribution: Names of places should reflect genuine contributions to society—scientists, freedom fighters, artists, and reformers—not just political clout.
  • Promote Local Heroes: Many regions have unsung heroes who deserve recognition far more than dynastic politicians with no legacy of public service.
  • Public Participation: Citizens should have a say in renaming significant landmarks, especially when the figure involved is divisive or controversial.

Conclusion

That places are still named after Sanjay Gandhi is not just a matter of historical oversight—it is a failure of democratic integrity. It symbolizes how power was used to whitewash authoritarianism and perpetuate a political dynasty. In a country that prides itself on its democratic ethos, honoring a man who was never elected and who trampled on civil liberties is both ironic and insulting.

The solution lies in a mature, bipartisan effort to revisit how we name our public spaces. Democracy is not just about voting—it’s about what we choose to remember and honor. It’s high time India stopped glorifying a figure like Sanjay Gandhi through institutional names and reclaimed those spaces for true national heroes.

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