Ambedkar, Rajguru... who? Asks south Delhi civic body

Architect of the Constitution BR Ambedkar and freedom fighters Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru may need no introduction for the citizens of the country, but the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) deemed it necessary to demand a “biodata” of the three before naming parks after them.

Architect of the Constitution BR Ambedkar and freedom fighters Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru may need no introduction for the citizens of the country, but the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) deemed it necessary to demand a “biodata” of the three before naming parks after them.

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Two days after the 82nd death anniversary of revolutionaries Bhagat Singh and Rajguru, SDMC councillors on Monday complained to the mayor about how the plan to name colony parks after them has hit a roadblock.

“Around two months ago, I sent a written proposal to name two parks of Gangotri apartments in Alaknanda after Bhagat Singh and Rajguru. I received a reply from the corporation asking me to include their biodata,” CR Park councillor Virender Kasana said. According to him, such a demand has never been made in the past.

Vikaspuri East councillor Amrita Dhawan said, “I had sent a request for naming a park after BR Ambedkar. But the officials made a similar demand.”

However, corporation officials said they were following the standard procedure required while naming a park. “A preamble is required with the proposal. The corporation has merely requested the councillors to send their proposal as per the format,” municipal secretary OP Taneja said.

The concerned officials have now been directed not to reject such proposals when the personality involved is a well-known figure.

Delhi already has several parks named after freedom fighters and prominent leaders such as Vivekananda Park in Sarojini Nagar, Nehru Park in Chanakyapuri, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park (Shahidi Park) in ITO and Mahatma Gandhi Park near Chandni Chowk.