Ranchi: A political controversy broke out in the city on Wednesday after the BJP symbolically renamed Harmu Chowk as “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Chowk”.The party said the initiative was aimed at highlighting PM Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047 and marking his 25 years in public life and governance.Led by BJP state president Aditya Sahu, party leaders and workers took out a procession to the junction and installed a new signboard. Ranchi MLA C P Singh, Hatia MLA Naveen Jaiswal, mayor Roshni Khalkho and deputy mayor Neeraj Kumar were present.Sahu said building a developed India by 2047 would require participation from all sections of society. He said the symbolic renaming was intended to remind commuters passing through the junction of their role in nation-building and the goal of a “Viksit Bharat”.The move drew criticism from the Congress, a constituent of the governing coalition, which questioned the BJP’s authority to rename a public square.Congress spokesperson Rakesh Sinha said no political party could unilaterally rename a public place or install a signboard without approval from the competent authority. He said Harmu Chowk was a public asset, not the property of any political organisation, and urged the Ranchi Municipal Corporation to act against the BJP.
