NEW DELHI: The BJP has unleashed its familiar name-game on the national capital. On Tuesday, it demanded renaming of old roads of Delhi that bear the “Mughal baggage.” The exception is the recently renamed road — APJ Abul Kalam (former President) Marg. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta has written to the civic body, the Municipal Council (North), demanding that roads named after Mughal emperors and others “symbolizing Muslim slavery” should be renamed.
The two-page letter points to Tughlaq Road, Akbar Road and Babar and Humayun lanes and demands they should be renamed after Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, the Mewar emperor Maharana Pratap, freedom-fighter Khudiram Bose and Maharishi Valmiki, respectively. The party has rediscovered the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and wants Shahjahan Road to be renamed after the General who died in a chopper crash last December.
If you guessed Congress to be in the BJP crosshairs by its renaming tactic, you are right. The Congress office is located at 24, Akbar Road. Delhi Congress chief Anil Kumar Choudhary was quick to react. He accused the BJP of trying to create social unrest with its move to rename 40 historic places and roads in the city after failing to cash in on the bulldozer politics.
“We appeal to PM Modi to name the new parliament building after (late) Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, which will send out a positive message about the country’s communal amity,” Choudhary said. He also appealed to the PM to name all gates of the new Parliament building after ‘rishi-munis” (Hindu seers) and ‘hahapurush’ (great men) of the country. As per existing laws, a 13-member NDMC panel is the authorized body to approve the name change of roads.