In a significant move on his final day as Kerala’s State Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader K. Radhakrishnan, who recently won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Alathur, has eliminated the term ‘colony’ from official records.
Explaining his decision, Radhakrishnan stated, “The word ‘colony’ is associated with slavery and was created by oppressors. It evokes a sense of inferiority among people.” He further mentioned that the residents can propose alternative names. “Instead of naming places after individuals, generic names should be used, and these will be based on the residents’ suggestions,” he said.
Radhakrishnan noted that using an individual’s name might lead to conflicts, but areas already named after people can retain their names.
The order from the Scheduled Caste-Scheduled Tribe Development Department specifies that areas mainly inhabited by Scheduled Tribes are currently called “Colony,” “Sanketam,” and “Ooru.” The order suggests that these terms can be disrespectful and recommends adopting names that are more acceptable to society. It proposes renaming these areas with terms such as “Nagar,” “Unnathi,” “Prakriti,” or other suitable names chosen by local residents, to foster dignity and respect within these communities.
Radhakrishnan resigned after winning the Lok Sabha elections from the Alathur constituency, defeating Congress’ Ramya Haridas by a margin of 20,111 votes. Radhakrishnan secured 403,447 votes while Haridas received 383,336 votes.