Hindu Sena defaces Delhi’s Babar Road signage, no FIR yet

Right-wing outfit Hindu Sena defaces signage on Babar Road in Delhi, demanding it be renamed "Ayodhya Marg"; police and NDMC file complaints.

Right-wing outfit Hindu Sena defaced one of the signages on Babar Road in central Delhi near a luxury hotel on Barakhamba Road and demanded that the road be renamed “Ayodhya Marg”, Delhi Police officers aware of the matter said on Saturday. The area is maintained by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

Right-wing outfit Hindu Sena defaced Babar Road signage, off Barakhamba Road, in central Delhi, demanding that the road be renamed “Ayodhya Marg”, Delhi Police officers aware of the matter said on Saturday. (PTI)

A small poster saying “Ayodhya Marg” written on it was pasted on the signage. Soon after the incident, the outfit claimed responsibility for the defacement and issued a statement to the media saying that it “changed the name of Babar Road to Ayodhya Marg”.

While deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla was not available for a comment on the matter, a police officer who was not authorised to speak with media said that no first information report (FIR) was registered till Saturday evening in connection with the incident.

“We are yet to receive a complaint from the agency concerned — NDMC — regarding the defacement of its property,” said the officer, asking not to be named.

However, an NDMC official, also requesting anonymity, said the agency has registered a formal complaint. “We do not know when the sign was defaced but after it was brought to our notice, we registered a formal complaint immediately and got it fixed. It has been cleaned and restored to the original ‘Babar Road’ sign and an FIR is being registered,” said the official.

In a statement issued after the incident, Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta said that the organisation had been demanding for a long time that the name of Babar Road should be changed. “This country India is the country of great men like Lord Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, Shri Valmiki, Guru Ravidas. Shri Ram temple is being constructed in Ayodhya. When Babar’s Babri is no more, then what is the use of Babar Road in Delhi?” Gupta’s statement said.