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Chhattisgarh News: Even today, there are many villages in Chhattisgarh whose caste-related and derogatory names have become a cause of shame for the people, like Nakti, Chamar Tola, Tonhinara and Chudailjharia. The National Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the states on this issue. Following the demand of the villagers and the proposal of the Gram Sabha, the government is now starting the process of changing the names of the villages.
Chhattisgarh News: It has been 78 years since the country became independent, but even today there are hundreds of villages in Chhattisgarh, whose names make people bow their heads in shame. Caste based and derogatory names like Chamar Tola, Bhangi Basti, Nakati (shameless woman), Tonhinara (Tonhi’s village), Suvartala, Chudailjharia, Pretandih are still stuck on the map. People living in these villages suffer humiliation from generation to generation just because the very name of their village makes fun of them.
Only now has the National Human Rights Commission taken notice of this serious issue. The Commission has written a letter to all the states including Chhattisgarh, asking for a complete list of all such villages and towns and has asked them to start the process of changing the names. StuffUnknownteam reached “Nakti” village near Naya Raipur. Here the word “Nakti” means a woman with a cut nose or a shameless woman. From village elders to children tell that people make fun of them whenever they go out. The first question that comes in a marriage relationship is – “Are you from Nakti village?” People say, “One has to get the same name written in the government papers too, one has to feel embarrassed every time.” Village Sarpanch Bihari Yadav said, “We have been demanding change of name for a long time. The proposal has also been passed in the Gram Sabha. It has been decided to change the name of Nakati to ‘Sammanpur’. Just waiting for government approval.”
Similarly, there are many villages in the state, whose names still insult the Dalit-Tribal community:
Chamar Basti, Chamar Tola, Chucharungpur
Bhangi Tola, Bhangi Basti, Makaramutta
Tonhinara, Daukidih, Bokkarkhar
Mahar Tola, Dompara, Chudailjharia, Pretandih
After the intervention of the Human Rights Commission, the administration in Chhattisgarh has now come into action. All district collectors have been instructed to make a list of such villages in their respective districts and immediately start the process of changing the name after taking a proposal from the Gram Sabha. The villagers say, “We love our village very much, only its name should be such that we can say it with pride.” Now it is expected that soon all these villages of Chhattisgarh will be known by new and respectable names.
