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U.P.: LMC sends proposal to rename three wards after BJP leaders
After the proposal is approved, Ansal API ward will be known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee ward, Hyderganj ward will be named after the late BJP leader Kalyan Singh while the name of Balaganj ward will be changed to Lalji Tandon ward
Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia recently sent a proposal to the state government to rechristen three wards of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders ahead of the civic body polls to be held in Uttar Pradesh later this year. The development comes days after LMC executive committee renamed some old city crossings and parks here after right-wing ideologues and freedom fighters.
After the latest proposal is approved, Ansal API ward will be known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee ward, Hyderganj ward will be named after the late BJP leader Kalyan Singh while the name of Balaganj ward will be changed to Lalji Tandon ward.
“Everyone knows about the contribution of Bharat Ratna the late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former chief minister Kalyan Singh and former U.P. minister Lalji Tandon. They don’t need any introduction, so those seeing any sort of politics in the change of names of these wards is wrong,” said Bhatia. Earlier this month, LMC executive committee had renamed some old city crossings and parks.
Leaders of opposition parties have already expressed concern about the change of name of Burlington crossing after former Vishva Hindu Parishad president the late Ashok Singhal. They had also expressed unhappiness over Sarvodaya Nagar Gate being renamed as Swatantraveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Dwar. The BJP dominated LMC executive also renamed Tikoniya Park at Nirala Nagar after BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
The road from Mohan Bhog crossing to Kothari Bandhu Park was recently renamed Kalyaneswar Hanuman Mandir Marg while Azad Nagar Colony Park in Sarojininagar was named after freedom fighter Mangal Pandey .
Sanjay Gandhi Puram crossing was renamed as Chandrashekhar Azad crossing while Viram Khand Ram Bhawan crossing was named after the late Major Kamal Kalia. The LMC executive also renamed Sikandarbagh crossing after Veerangana Udadevi and the trisection near the statue of Maharaja Suheldev Rajbhar located in Lalbagh was named as Suheldev Rajbhar Tiraha. Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia said , “Tell me, in all these names where you can find politics.”
However, leader of opposition in LMC house Sayyed Yawar Hussain Reshu said, “Tell me, if the renaming of mini stadium at Rajajipuram after former MLA Suresh Srivastava is not politics?. Is naming green belt next to Madari Kheda after the late Satish Bhatia, the former MLA who was the husband of mayor Sanyukta Bhatia, is not politics?”
Another corporator from an opposition party requesting anonymity said , “One can see an effort to win over voters in the renaming of Tehripulia crossing as Khalsa Chowk and renaming of LDA colony park as Guru Nanak Park. The park located in front of MMD/253 LDA colony was renamed as Dashmesh Park while the one at Ashiana colony was renamed as Sardar Udham Singh park. Another park in front of the Awas Seva Sadan Purana Qila was named after former MLA the late Manager Singh Smriti Park.”
