Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has criticised the proposal to rename the Raj Bhavan — the official residence of the Governor — as “Lok Bhavan,” a change recommended by Governor RN Ravi following instructions from the Union government. Stalin argued that the issue is not about terminology but about respect for democratic institutions and the authority of the people’s elected representatives. Calling the initiative “unnecessary,” he said that renaming the Governor’s residence does nothing if the underlying attitude toward the Legislative Assembly remains unchanged.
In a post on X, written in Tamil, Stalin said that “changing the name is less important than changing the mindset,” asserting that the Legislative Assembly represents the will of the people. He questioned the purpose of renaming Raj Bhavan if those proposing the change do not respect the Legislature. The DMK president emphasised that real accountability lies in recognising and upholding the authority of governments elected by the people.
Stalin further argued that altering signboards cannot compensate for a lack of respect toward democratic processes. Without meaningful change in thought and action, he said, the renaming exercise has no value.
The development comes as West Bengal officially renamed its Raj Bhavan as “Lok Bhavan” on Saturday. Governor CV Ananda Bose implemented the Centre’s directive to rename the Kolkata Raj Bhavan as well as the Flagstaff House and the Raj Bhavan in Darjeeling. His office said the decision aims to signal a more people-centric and accessible approach, and all official stationery, digital platforms and signage will now adopt the new title.
The move in Bengal — and calls for a similar step in Tamil Nadu — have intensified a broader national debate over whether renaming institutions reflects genuine democratic reform or simply masks deeper conflicts between state governments and the Centre-appointed Governors.
