The BJP-led Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in Leh has recommended changing the name of the Union health ministry-run health and wellness centres in the region from Hindi to a local language and delete the suffix Mandir from it, bowing to outrage from local Buddhists and Muslims.

LAHDC, Leh, which is an elected body in Ladakh’s Leh district, said in a post on X that “health & wellness centres” — called Ayushman Arogya Mandir — are to be rebranded as “Tsey-Ring Nadmed Tsonas” in Leh.

LAHDC, Leh, chief executive councillor Tashi Gyalson has formed an expert committee headed by Stanzin Chosphel, executive councillor in the art and culture department, to oversee the rebranding process, advocating the adoption of names in the Bhoti language spoken in Leh.

Gyalson said they would approach the Ladakh administration for formal approval.

An official statement said the chief executive councillor chaired a meeting on Sunday in the presence of Ladakh MP Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, who is also from the BJP.

Opposition Congress leader Tsering Namgail, who was part of the protests against naming these centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandir (which means long-life, well-being temples), said the first two words had been translated into Tsey-Ring and Nadmed (meaning long life and well-being in Bhoti) while Mandir had been replaced by Tsonas, which means centre.

“They could have chosen a simple language instead of literally translating the words. But still, our main concern of calling such centres as Mandirs has been addressed,” he told The Telegraph.

“That name has not gone well with people of all communities here. The BJP did not come out openly initially because it was in power. But obviously, they had to relent.”

In November last year, the central health ministry had decided to rename the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

On January 24, the Ladakh Buddhist Association and major Muslim organisations in Kargil jointly opposed the decision. In a letter addressed to Gyalson, the acting president of the LBA, Chering Dorjey, described the central ministry’s decision as unfortunate and tantamount to “playing with the sentiments of the Ladakhi people”. “India is a secular country and using religious names and symbols in government departments is unconstitutional and unacceptable,” Dorjay said.