Renaming Aurangzeb Road first step to communalism, says CPI(M)

CPI(M) on Tuesday slammed New Delhi Municipal Council's (NDMC) move to rename Aurangzeb Road after late President APJ Abdul Kalam, terming it as "first step in a campaign to rename historical places and roads on communal grounds". "The recent road renaming is a very unfortunate measure since it is widely regarded as first step in a campaign to rename historical places and roads on communal grounds," the party said in a statement.

The Left party also accused the Arvind Kejriwal government for being party to the decision. "It is regrettable the Delhi government under AAP leadership also became party to this decision. The politburo demands the decision be reversed," it said. 

The party maintained that there are many other ways to perpetuate Kalam's memory, other than "creating controversies that, in fact, is an undignified manner of paying tribute". The NDMC had given its nod to rename the road in Lutyen's Delhi on August 28. The decision was taken reportedly in the wake of a proposal by BJP's Delhi MP Maheish Girri and "requests from certain sections of society".

The Parliamentarian had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider renaming the road to correct "wrongs" of history and had said it will be a fitting tribute to the memory of Kalam widely regarded as 'People's President'. 

Muslim outfits had yesterday objected to the renaming of the Aurangzeb Road, terming it as a "deliberate" move that is "likely to set the trend of rechristening other cities/streets distorting history".