By Tandrima Ghosh, May 11
Demanding renaming of Qutub Minar and many streets in Delhi .The BJP had recently filed a petition in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court seeking an inquiry into whether the Taj Mahal built by Shah Jahan was ever a temple named ‘Tejo Mahalaya‘. A request was also made to open the closed rooms of the Taj Mahal and inspect it. The BJP also demanded to change the name of the road named after Shahjahan before. Pro-Hindu organizations have also joined the protest demanding renaming of the Qutub Minar and erection of a Vishnu pillar. Opponents allege that the BJP’s strategy is to change its name to divert attention from daily problems Demanding renaming of Qutub Minar and many streets in Delhi is very high.
Today, representatives of Mahakal Manab Seva and some other Hindutva organizations appeared in front of the Qutub Minar with placards. Slogans were also chanted demanding the renaming of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. They also read Hanuman Chalisa. Huge police force was deployed there to handle the situation.
The Delhi BJP has become vocal today demanding renaming of some streets in Delhi. In a letter to the North Delhi Municipality, Delhi BJP chief Aadesh Gupta said that Shahjahan Road, Tughlaq Road, Akbar Road, Aurangzeb Lane and Humayun Road have been renamed. It has been said that these roads should be renamed as a symbol of slavery during the Mughal period.
 BJP leader Gupta’s suggestion is to rename Tughlaq Road as Guru Gobind Singh Marg. Similarly, Akbar Road, Aurangzeb Lane, Humayun Road, Shahjahan Road should be renamed as Maharana Pratap Road, Abdul Kalam Lane, Maharshi Balmiki Road and General Bipin Rawat respectively. He also proposed to change the name of Babar Lane to Khudiram Basu. The Congress headquarters is located at 24 Akbar Road. The 13-member North Delhi Municipality will look into the matter of renaming the road. When a name change is proposed, the history, emotions, etc. Associated with the proposed name are usually judged. But in the North Delhi municipality, the name change has been identified as an exceptional issue. As a result, speculation has started about how the Delhi BJP chief’s plea will be met.
After the BJP came to power at the Center in 2014, the country has witnessed one name change after another. Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh has become Prayagraj. Race Course Road, where the Prime Minister’s residence is located, has been named Lok Kalyan Marg. Faizabad station has been renamed as Ayodhya Cantonment. The new name of Mughalsarai Junction is Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Junction.
Historians, however, have opposed the name change. According to many, narrow politics is behind the renaming of Mughal period and colonial era. Apart from that, even if the name of a popular area is changed on paper, the old name remains on the face of the people.
Opponents allege that on the one hand, when people across the country have been hit by rising prices, gas prices have skyrocketed, unemployment is on the rise, dollars are depreciating, state assets are being sold. The BJP is on the path of divisive politics.
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