Now that the decision to rename the Capital’s Aurangzeb Road after the former President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, has been red-flagged for violating a central law, efforts are afoot from within the Sangh Parivar to push for amending the 1975-vintage guideline barring such rechristening.
To counter the Citizens for Democracy — which on Saturday reminded the government of its own statement in Parliament as recently as April 21, 2015, about the decision not to change names of existing roads in the Capital because of the logistics involved — RSS activist Rajeev Gupta, who is associated with the Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti (SBAS), met Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Monday to press for changing the guidelines to rename all roads in the city that bear names of Mughal rulers.
Since online petitions are circulating against the renaming of Aurangzeb Road, he has also started one of his own calling for rechristening other roads named after not just Mughal rulers, including Akbar Road, but also those belonging to the Delhi Sultanate — Lodhi Road and Tughlaq Road.
In a related statement, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, another Sangh organisation, said all nationalist citizens should welcome the renaming of the Aurangzeb Road as the former President’s contributions were far greater than the Mughal ruler’s.
Though the RSS-backed SBAS is keeping a low profile on this front, its founder Dinanath Batra told The Hindu that “this has been our thinking all along.”
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
Please Email the Editor