Decolonization or Politics? The Inside Story of the 'Lok Bhavan' Rename

In a historic break from colonial tradition, the Union Cabinet has approved the renaming of all Raj Bhavans across India to "Lok Bhavan" (People's House), effective immediately. Leading the charge today, West Bengal Governor [C.V. Ananda Bose] personally replaced the signage at the iconic Kolkata residence, fulfilling his long-standing "Jan Raj Bhavan" initiative. The move, mandated by the Ministry of Home Affairs under [Amit Shah], is framed as a decisive step in the Modi government's "cognitive decolonization" agenda, replacing symbols of monarchical power with democratic terminology.

The Context (How We Got Here)

The term "Raj Bhavan" (King's House) has been the official name for gubernatorial residences since independence, a direct inheritance from the British "Government House" era. The push for change gained momentum in 2024-25, with President [Droupadi Murmu] renaming halls in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the government rebranding landmarks like Rajpath to Kartavya Path. In West Bengal, Governor Ananda Bose had already begun transforming the institution by opening it to the public for grievance redressal in 2022. Today's nationwide notification formalizes this shift, stripping the "Raj" from 36 constitutional residences simultaneously.

The Key Players (Who & So What)

C.V. Ananda Bose (Governor, West Bengal): The implementer. By personally changing the signage, he is positioning himself as the face of this decolonial transition, reinforcing his "People's Governor" image amidst a contentious tenure.
Amit Shah (Union Home Minister): The architect. His ministry's notification enforces a uniform "cultural sovereignty" policy across all states, challenging the colonial lexicon embedded in India's administrative DNA.
Mamata Banerjee (Chief Minister, West Bengal): The silent observer. Having long demanded the renaming of her state to "Bangla," her lack of immediate opposition suggests a strategic ambiguity—unable to oppose "decolonization" but wary of a Center-imposed narrative.

The BIGSTORY Reframe

While headlines celebrate the "end of colonial symbols," the deeper story is the "Centralization of Decolonization." Renaming state institutions via a central directive, without state assembly resolutions, raises questions about federalism. Is "Lok Bhavan" a genuine democratization of the space, or a rebranding exercise that masks the centralized power of the Governor's office? Furthermore, the shift from "Raj" to "Lok" is symbolic, but unless accompanied by structural changes—like the public grievance systems piloted in Bengal—it risks being a cosmetic makeover for an institution that remains deeply hierarchical.

The Implications (Why This Changes Things)

This move standardizes India's institutional nomenclature, erasing the last linguistic vestiges of the British Raj from the executive branch. However, it may trigger friction in non-Hindi speaking states, where "Lok Bhavan" might be seen as linguistic imposition over regional alternatives. Administratively, it necessitates a massive logistical update of digital and physical assets across 36 territories. Politically, it forces opposition parties into a bind: opposing "Lok Bhavan" looks anti-democratic, even if they resent the Center's unilateral decision-making.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

If we rename the "King's House" to the "People's House" but the gates remain closed to the common man in most states, have we decolonized the building or just the signboard?

FAQs

Why was Raj Bhavan renamed to Lok Bhavan? The renaming is part of the Indian government's "cognitive decolonization" initiative to remove colonial-era terminology. "Raj Bhavan" translates to "King's House," a legacy of British rule, while "Lok Bhavan" means "People's House," reflecting democratic values.

When did the name change take effect? The Union Cabinet approved the change in late November 2025. West Bengal became the first state to implement it on November 29, 2025, with other states mandated to follow immediately.

Who initiated the renaming of Raj Bhavan? While the nationwide notification came from the Ministry of Home Affairs led by Amit Shah, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose had already pioneered the concept by informally calling his residence "Jan Raj Bhavan" and opening it to the public in 2022.

How many Raj Bhavans are affected? All gubernatorial residences in India's 28 states and 8 union territories are being renamed to Lok Bhavan.

Is this related to other renaming events? Yes. It follows a pattern of decolonial renaming under the Modi government, including changing Rajpath to Kartavya Path and renaming halls within the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

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Brajesh Mishra Associate Editor

Brajesh Mishra is an Associate Editor at BIGSTORY NETWORK, specializing in daily news from India with a keen focus on AI, technology, and the automobile sector. He brings sharp editorial judgment and a passion for delivering accurate, engaging, and timely stories to a diverse audience.