Rename Aurangzeb Road after Kalam, BJP MP urges PM Modi

The BJP MP Maheish Girri has said the demand to change the name is not just to honour the memory of the late former President APJ Abdul Kalam, but also to "correct the wrongs done in the past", referring to Aurangzeb's rule.

BJP MP from East Delhi, Maheish Girri has urged PM Narendra Modi to consider renaming Delhi's Aurangzeb Road after former President APJ Abdul Kalam to correct "wrongs" of history.

File-photo-of-former-president-APJ-Abdul-Kalam-with-Prime-Minister-Narendra-Modi-in-New-Delhi-in-Jan-2015-Kalam-passed-away-in-Shillong-at-the-age-of-83-PTI-Photo

Girri has written a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard which says the move would be a fitting tribute to the memory of the Missile Man.

"The whole nation is mourning the death of Kalam. He was a great scientist and social reformer who inspired millions across the country as well as dedicated his whole life for our motherland. As a tribute to the "People's President", I hereby propose to rename the Aurangzeb road in New Delhi as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road," the East Delhi MP wrote in the letter.

Later, talking to the media, he justified his demand saying that the name Aurangzeb symbolises "cruelty" and "if there has been wrongs we can always correct them."

Aurangzeb was a 17th century Mughal ruler under whom the empire became one of the wealthiest and most powerful in the world at that point of time, much accredited to his cruelty and deceit.

Girri claimed his demand had the backing of several members of other political parties as it was not a part of "BJP's agenda".