Prayagraj: Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) chief Narendra Giri’s demand for rechristening all roads named after Mughal invaders and Britishers has triggered a fresh controversy.
Opposition parties on Thursday condemned the demand saying the government should function according to the Constitution of the country and not as per whimsical demands of priests and saints or else it will set a dangerous precedent.
On Wednesday, Giri had said, “India got Independence 74 years ago and roads named after Mughal invaders like Tughlak, Humayun and Babur and Britishers in Delhi should be renamed after Chandra Shekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Gulzari Lal Nanda and Veer Abdul Hameed.”
“Why should roads still be named after Mughal invaders and Britishers who looted and divided the country? Most countrymen, particularly youngsters, feel embarrassed after seeing roads named on invaders. These roads should be renamed on martyrs who laid their lives for the country,” said Giri.
“Visit any city of the country and you will find roads named on Mughal invaders or Britishers who looted, divided the country,” said Giri.
We demand that the Union government should rename all these roads on our freedom fighters and martyrs, he added.
Reacting sharply on the statement, Samajwadi Party district spokesperson Daan Bahadur ‘Madhur’ said, “Such demands will set a dangerous precedent. The contribution of Mughal emperors in making India a great nation cannot be forgotten.”
He accused the saffron brigade of diverting the attention of common man from persisting problems like unemployment and inflation to irrelevant issues.
Pradesh Congress Committee member Mukund Tiwari said, “It’s an unfortunate statement. Roads are named on personalities who made our nation great irrespective of their caste, creed and religion.”
There were many good administrators who worked for the unity and integrity of the country, he added.