NEW DELHI: Akbar Road in the heart of the national capital briefly became Maharana Pratap Road as miscreants covered the signage with a yellow-and-red poster that carried the ‘new name’.
The poster came up overnight and went viral on social media platforms on Wednesday morning. Delhi Police later removed the poster and is considering filing a case against unknown persons for defacing public property, though no complaint has been filed by anyone.
Police suspect it was done by miscreants to mark the 478th birth anniversary of the legendary Rajput king who fought the famous battle of Haldighati with Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1576.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which manages Lutyens’ Delhi, has denied any official move to rename the road.
“It remains unknown as to who pasted the poster. For any road to be renamed, the process has to go through the Council and no such official move has been initiated,” said NDMC spokesperson MS Sherawat.
This is the second time the Akbar Road sign has been defaced. Last year, right-wing outfit Hindu Sena took responsibility for defacing the sign.
The vandalism has taken place at a time when the government is probing a case of a tomb being converted into a temple in South Delhi.
In 2016, a BJP leader and then NDMC vice-chairperson had proposed renaming Akbar Road as Maharana Pratap Road. The proposal found favour with several right-wing leaders. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road in Lutyens’ zone was renamed APJ Abdul Kalam Road after the former president.
In the last two decades, the names of three other major roads in the NDMC area have been changed — Connaught Circus to Indira Chowk, Connaught Place to Rajiv Chowk and Canning Road to Madhavrao Scindia Marg.
Renaming procedure
Union Home Ministry guidelines and a resolution passed by New Delhi Municipal Council in 2006 regarding naming or renaming of any road, street or park, and installation of a statue, state that any person or organisation can approach the Government of India in this regard. Any such proposal is taken up in the NDMC council meeting for clearance. The decision taken is communicated to the State Names Authority, which comes under the Delhi government, for final approval.