'Abdul Kalam' to 'YSR', back to 'Kalam' after Jagan name change of award backfires

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Tuesday ordered to reinstate the name of 'Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards' after facing flak over changing its name.

The Andhra Chief Minister ordered to immediately cancel the Government Order stating redesignating 'Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards' as 'YSR Vidya Puraskars'.

This development comes hours after Reddy led-YSRCP government faced criticism for renaming the award.

"The government has ordered to re-designate the 'Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards' as 'YSR Vidya Puraskars' from 2019 onwards for distribution on the occasion of birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as National Education Day on November 11, 2019," read a previous Government Order (GO) issued in this regard.

Soon after the above Government order was released, opposition strongly condemned the move.

Taking to Twitter former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu made a scathing attack on Reddy-led YSRCP government.

"Dr. Kalam has accomplished much for the nation with his inspiring life. YS Jagan's government changing "APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar" to "YSR Vidya Puraskar" is a shocking method of self-aggrandizement at the cost of disrespecting a much venerated man," Naidu tweeted.

BJP leader Lanka Dinakar and TDP National General Secretary, Ram Mohan Naidu K had also denounced the move.