Guwahati: Taking cognizance of the demands by the Adivasi and Tea tribe community and the Mongoldoi Nagarik Manch, the Assam government on Wednesday decided to rename the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park as Orang National Park. The park is known for the one-horned rhino, tigers, elephants, wild boars, pygmy hogs, and a variety of fish, among a host of other flora and fauna species. In a cabinet meeting on Wednesday chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the decision was taken to rename the park.
Orang is the oldest game reserve in the state, located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Darrang and Sonitpur district. After the decision by the Assam cabinet the parkm will be known as the Orang National Park from now onwards.
Wednesday’s decision was taken by the state Cabinet after “taking cognizance of the Adivasi and Tea Tribe Community’s demands”, a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.
“The Chief Minister had recently met the representatives of the Tea Tribe and Adivasi community and they had requested that we restore the original name of the park,” said Assam government spokesperson and I&PR Minister, Pijush Hazarika, addressing the press after the meeting.
Opposition Congress is not taking the decision well and many party leaders are criticizing the BJP government for the change. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi tweeted: “When the next Congress Government is formed in the state of Assam, on the first day we will cancel the decision of the BJP government to remove the name of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi from the Orang National Park."
It should be mentioned that, in 1992 Hiteshwar Saikia-led Congress government changed the name from Orang Wildlife Sanctuary to Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary.
Later, however, when it was upgraded to a National Park in 1999, the then Congress government renamed it as Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park.
