Andaman and Nicobar Islands: "Fitting tribute to region's rich history," says BJP's Sanjay Kumar Singh on Port Blair's renaming

Sri Vijaya Puram (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) [India], September 13 (ANI): Andaman and Nicobar Islands BJP Vice President Sanjay Kumar Singh expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after the central government renamed the capital city, Port Blair, as 'Sri Vijaya Puram' on Friday.
Speaking to ANI on the renaming, Singh dubbed the decision a testament to the government's commitment to preserving India's cultural heritage and honouring its freedom fighters.
"Today I express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for renaming Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram. The people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have welcomed the renaming of Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram. They see it as a fitting tribute to the region's rich history and cultural significance," Singh said.
He also praised the leadership and dedication of PM Modi and Shah in making this "historic gesture" a reality.
Earlier in the day, Shah announced the renaming through a post on X, calling it a move inspired by PM Modi's vision to free the nation from the colonial imprints. He also highlighted the historic importance of the UT and said that it has an "unparalleled place" in the country's freedom struggle and history.
"While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle and the A&N Islands' unique role in the same," Shah stated.
"The island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is today poised to be the critical base for our strategic and development aspirations. It is also the place that hosted the first unfurling of our Tiranga by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji and also the cellular jail in which Veer Savarkar Ji and other freedom fighters struggled for an independent nation," he added. (ANI)