New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) As the Delhi government prepares to release the city’s first-ever official logo on November 1, senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Tuesday demanded that the spelling ‘Dilli’ be used instead of the prevailing one, which he claimed is anglicised and a colonial legacy.
He also demanded that the spelling ‘Dilli’ be used by the city government for future official uses.
In a press conference, Goel said he has written to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, urging her that when the Delhi government unveils the logo, the spelling ‘Delhi’ should be replaced with ‘Dilli’ in it.
“The unveiling of the logo presents a historic opportunity to align the name of our capital with its true cultural and historical identity,” the former Delhi BJP president said.
He further said that for centuries, poets, writers, and people have called the city ‘Dilli’. “The name embodies our sentiment, tradition, and authentic identity. The current English spelling ‘Delhi’ is a remnant of the British colonial period, neither matching the Hindi pronunciation nor reflecting our cultural soul,” the former Union minister said.
He demanded that, going forward, the spelling ‘Dilli’ should be used in all future official uses of the city government.
Goel pointed out that many Indian cities have already reclaimed their original identities, like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
“Some objections were raised earlier, but now these cities are accepted,” he said and added that changing the spelling ‘Delhi’ to ‘Dilli’ would be a “natural and justified” correction without any inconvenience.
Goel claimed that the word ‘Dilli’ is derived from ‘Dhillika’ or ‘Dhilli’, the name of the city founded by the Tomar kings in the 11th century. Over time, it evolved into ‘Dilli’, he said.
“During the Sultanate and Mughal periods, Persian historians referred to the city as ‘Dehli’ or ‘Dihli’. Under British rule, the English adopted this Persian version but pronounced it ‘Delhi’, which then became the official name,” he said.
“In all Indian languages, the city has always been known and addressed as ‘Dilli’. This name represents the emotional bond and cultural identity of the city,” the BJP leader added.
Earlier, CM Gupta had said that, unlike most other states, Delhi had no official logo till now to represent its identity. She had said her government initiated the process to design one soon after taking office.
A logo design competition was organised on the mygov.in portal, which received more than 1,800 entries from across the country, she added.
The selected logo will reflect a modern, transparent, and people-centric governance, and help position Delhi as a strong brand symbolising democratic values, technological advancement, and civic participation, Gupta had said.
It will also embody the spirit of vibrancy, unity, and progress that defines the national capital, she added. PTI VIT VIT NSD NSD
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