NCP takes dig at BJP over Gujarat's bid to rename dragon fruit

We fear that the time may benot far when they would start addressing Hindustan asKamalastan. The BJPs election symbol is lotus, which is calledkamal in Hindi.Rupani on Tuesday said the Gujarat government hasapplied for a patent to change the nomenclature of dragonfruit, which is largely grown in Kutch, Navsari and differentparts of Saurashtra, to Kamalam.He also said there is nothing political behindrenaming of the fruit.The name dragon fruit is not proper, and due to itsname one thinks of China.

The NCP on Wednesday targeted theBJP over the Gujarat government's decision to rename dragonfruit as 'Kamalam', saying the time may not be far when thesaffron party would start calling the country as ''Kamalastan''.

The BJP has now started ''branding itself on fruitsalso,'' NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said in astatement.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday saidhis government has decided to rename dragon fruit as'Kamalam'.

Reacting to it, Tapase said, ''The BJP has now startedbranding itself on fruits also. We fear that the time may benot far when they would start addressing Hindustan asKamalastan.'' The BJP's election symbol is lotus, which is called'kamal' in Hindi.

Rupani on Tuesday said the Gujarat government hasapplied for a patent to change the nomenclature of dragonfruit, which is largely grown in Kutch, Navsari and differentparts of Saurashtra, to 'Kamalam'.

He also said there is nothing political behindrenaming of the fruit.

''The name dragon fruit is not proper, and due to itsname one thinks of China. So we have given it the name'Kamalam','' Rupani said.

''Farmers say it looks like lotus and that is thereason we have named it 'Kamalam','' he added.