The red-purple dragon fruit, which has helped Kutch farmers make a killing, may soon get a new name. It will be called ‘kamalam’ (lotus). The Gujarat forest department has sent a proposal to the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) for change in nomenclature of the dragon fruit to kamalam.

Officials and farmers say the shape and appearance of the fruit has a striking resemblance to lotus, which is also the BJP’s party symbol.

“It (lotus) is also held in high esteem among various religions due to its purity in muddy conditions. This name (kamalam) would have the advantage of instant connect with the common farmers and thus it is expected to gain wide acceptance,” states a letter written by Ram Kumar, additional principal chief conservator of forests, social forestry division. The letter written last month is addressed to the deputy director-general of ICAR.

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com reports how in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address on July 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a special mention about the success of dragon fruit cultivation in Kutch. Apart from Gujarat, this fruit is cultivated in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar Island.