Honour heroes, not invaders: BJP MP wants Mughal-era road names changed
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma has called for roads and public places named after Mughal rulers to be renamed after Indian freedom fighters and
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma has called for roads and public places named after Mughal rulers to be renamed after Indian freedom fighters and historical figures, arguing that independent India should honour national heroes rather than “invaders”. Raising the issue through a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha, Sharma cited prominent roads such as Akbar Road, Babar Road, Humayun Road and Tughlaq Road and questioned why they continued to carry the names of rulers nearly eight decades after Independence.
Read Full Story He proposed renaming them after figures including Rani Durgavati, Rani Lakshmibai, Maharana Pratap, Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqullah Khan and Begum Hazrat Mahal. Sharma argued that the names of roads, institutions and public landmarks influence national consciousness and historical memory. He said public infrastructure should reflect India’s civilisational heritage and commemorate those who fought for the country’s freedom, culture and honour. The BJP MP described the continued use of names associated with Mughal and other colonial rulers as evidence of a lingering “colonial mindset”.
Sharma urged the government to conduct a nationwide review of roads, memorials, institutions and other public places named after rulers he described as invaders. He also sought changes to school textbooks, saying colonial and foreign rulers should be presented as invaders rather than celebrated as icons. The demand comes amid a broader push by the BJP-led government to remove colonial-era symbols from public institutions and spaces. Several roads in Delhi have been renamed in recent years.
One of the most prominent examples is Aurangzeb Road, which was renamed Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in 2015 following the former President’s death. Sharma’s latest proposal seeks to extend the exercise to roads bearing the names of other Mughal rulers. Ends
The BriefWire