"Name-change politics will not bring any good to the country...": RJD MLA Bhai Virendra slams PM Modi's push to "decolonise" institutions, counter legacy of Macaulay

Patna (Bihar) [India], December 3 (ANI): The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and MLA Bhai Virendra on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to "decolonise" institutions, counter the legacy of Macaulay.
Speaking with ANI, he urged PM Modi to focus on unemployment, price rises, and the increased crime rate. "I urge PM Modi to focus on issues such as unemployment, price rises, and the increased crime rate. Name-change politics will not bring any good to the country...," he added.
This comes after the Modi government has taken several steps to remove vestiges of the colonial past. Raj Bhavans across the country are being renamed as Lok Bhavans, the move is being seen as a step in line with changes under the Narendra Modi government, which mark a deeper ideological transition of India's democracy "choosing responsibility over power and service over status".
The Raj Bhavan in Odisha has been renamed Lok Bhavan, a decision that has also been implemented in several other states across the country. West Bengal's Raj Bhavan in Kolkata was renamed as Lok Bhavan on November 29.
The Home Ministry has sent a communication to states for the change. India's public institutions are undergoing a quiet but profound shift and the idea of governance is moving from "satta to seva and from authority to responsibility", sources said. They said this change is not just administrative, it is cultural and moral and the shift in names marks a "shift in mindset".
The Prime Minister's official residence was renamed Lok Kalyan Marg in 2016, a name that conveys welfare, not exclusivity and is a reminder of the work that lies ahead for every elected government. The new complex housing the PMO is called Seva Teerth, a workplace designed to reflect the spirit of service and where national priorities take shape. The Central Secretariat is named Kartavya Bhavan, a vast administrative hub built around the idea that public service is a commitment.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the spaces of governance have been reshaped "to reflect kartavya and transparency" and every name, every building and every symbol now points to a simple idea that government exists to serve, sources said, noting that the Rajpath became Kartavya Path and a landmark street now carries a message that power is not an entitlement, it is a duty.
Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati said on Tuesday that 'Lok Bhavan', the new name, reflects a commitment to building stronger public connection and participation, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He emphasised that Lok Bhavan symbolises transparency, accessibility, and a deeper relationship between the administration and the people."This initiative aligns with the broader vision of empowering citizens, strengthening governance systems, and ensuring inclusive growth. Lok Bhavan will continue to serve as an important platform for public engagement and consultation, now with a renewed focus on openness and accessibility for all," the Governor said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speeches, has emphasised the need of complete liberation from any "mentality of slavery".He has noted that British politician Thomas Macaulay sowed the seeds of uprooting India from its roots and the country should move forward with the goal of liberating itself from the mentality of slavery and "inferiority complex" in the next 10 years.
In his speech at the flag-hoisting event at Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir last month, PM Modi had said that along with pride in country's heritage, another important task is complete liberation from the mentality of slavery. He said Macaulay had, in 1835, sowed "the seeds of uprooting India from its roots".
The RJD MLA also emphasised the "vote theft" allegations, saying that those who won the elections and those who lost it know that votes had been manipulated.
His remarks come amid ongoing "vote theft" allegations against the BJP-led NDA government following its emphatic win in the Bihar Elections 2025.
While speaking to ANI, Bhai Virendra said, "We all know how the votes have been cast, how the whole process has been managed. Those who won the election, as well as those who lost, know how votes have been manipulated. NDA faction members are in our contact; anything may happen... I urge PM Modi to focus on issues such as unemployment, price rises, and the increased crime rate. Name-change politics will not bring any good to the country."
The NDA registered a historic landslide victory in the 2025 Bihar assembly polls, winning 202 of the 243 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan managed to secure only 35 seats. The ruling alliance secured a three-fourths majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, marking the second time the NDA crossed the 200-seat mark in state polls. In 2010, it had won 206 seats.
In the NDA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 89 seats, Janata Dal (United) won 85, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJPRV) won 19, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAMS) won five, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha won four seats.
Among opposition parties, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won 25 seats, the Indian National Congress six, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) [CPI(ML)(L)] two, the Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) one, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] one seat.
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) secured five seats, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won one seat.
The Bihar assembly elections were held in two phases on November 6 and 11. Bihar recorded a historic 67.13 per cent voter turnout, the highest since 1951, with women voters outpacing men (71.6 per cent vs 62.8 per cent). (ANI)