JD(U) today voiced its reservations about New Delhi Municipal Council's decision to rename Aurangzeb Road after former President APJ Abdul Kalam, and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene into the matter saying it will open "Pandora's box".
"I write this letter to oppose the move of NDMC to change the name of Aurangzeb Road in the name of our former President APJ Abdul Kalam. I am not going into the details of the personality of last Emperor of Mughals Aurangzeb, but I would like to mention that history cannot be changed by just tearing the pages.
"Delhi has its history which can be read by even through names of the roads. It is not only a move to deviate from the history, but it will also amount to opening a Pandora's box. I am of the opinion that we should not touch the sensitive issues and rather non-issues, and instead concentrate on the important national issues," said Sharad Yadav, president of JD(U) which rule Bihar.
The JD(U) leader said that he was against changing the names of roads as it not only creates confusion to the public, but the public will be deprived of knowing the history which was even available to them through the roads in Delhi.
"Further I am of the opinion if the leaders and the personalities have to be respected and commemorated, some institutions and hospitals should be named after them. Delhi has millennium of history and many place names go back a long way.
"In view of the above, I shall be grateful if you could pass necessary instructions to NDMC not to change the name of Aurangzeb Road as such issues are sensitive and should not be touched," he said in the letter.
Muslim outfits had yesterday objected to NDMC's decision to rename Aurangzeb Road after late President A P J Abdul Kalam, terming it as a "deliberate" move that is "likely to set the trend of rechristening other cities/streets distorting history".
They alleged that the road renaming proposal was given by Delhi MP Mahesh Girri. NDMC took the decision to rename the road in Lutyen's Delhi on August 28.
Welcoming NDMC's decision, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had on August 29 said the Aurangabad city in central Maharashtra too would be renamed as 'Sambhaji Nagar'.
