The Victorian government in Melbourne, Australia, has drawn the fury of people after it changed the name of Berwick Springs Lake to Guru Nanak Lake without consulting local residents. The lake’s name was changed on November 9 through an official ceremony in the presence of members of the Sikh community and government representatives.
Victorians have also started a petition on Change.org to stop Berwick Springs’s name change. The petition states that the name Berwick Springs Lake is linked to the identity of the Berwick Springs community and has been a defining feature of their neighborhood, and holds significant meaning for local residents. It highlighted that the sudden name change, without proper community consultation, has caused distress among the residents and beyond.
The community petition finds it deeply troubling that consultation was not done, and appears to be a case of prioritizing discussion about a relatively minor detail and overlooks the need for community input on the primary decision. It highlighted this as a betrayal of democratic principles and extremely poor public sector governance.
Also Read: India Not Nervous About Donald Trump Leading US But Relations To Get Rocky
Berwick Springs Lake Name Change After Six Years of Talks
The name change was part of the Victorian government’s ‘Name a Place’ campaign that seeks suggestions for 6000 new names over the next three years. Ingrid Stitt, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, recognized the significant contributions of Victoria’s Sikh community and named the landmark (Berwick Springs Lake) after Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith. She also announced $600,000 in funding for Langar celebration events across Victoria.
Jasbir Singh Suropada, the chair of the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria, said they had been in talks with the Victorian government since 2018 regarding naming a place after the founder of the Sikh faith. He said the name of their Guru will be part of legal documents such as Government Gazettes and be part of the history.
