Bangalore South parliamentarian L S Tejasvi Surya has objected to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s move to name 11 roads in Padarayanapura in western Bengaluru after Muslim social workers.
His intervention comes a day after former union minister of state Anantkumar Hegde raised objections over the issue. Both Surya and Hegde belong to the ruling BJP. The BBMP has been superseded by the state government.
Writing to BBMP commissioner, Surya said, “The list of names mooted by the BBMP has only Muslim names. The christening of roads in a Muslim-dominated locality with only Muslim names reeks of the same communal mentality of the two-nation theory and the Muslim League’s demand for separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims. This is dangerous and must be condemned.”
Noting that there is no dearth of non-Muslim figures whose names could be christened to the roads, Surya said: “I request you to immediately revise the list and finalise the list of roads to be named after personalities only after wide public discussion.”
Hegde, the controversial and firebrand parliamentarian from Uttara Kannada, also wrote to the BBMP commissioner on Wednesday stating that the civic body can name roads after freedom fighters, soldiers, and patriots.
“I strongly oppose the move to name after Muslims. If the civic bodies in other parts of the state resort to the same move, it will lead to disruption of communal harmony,” Hegde said.
The BBMP, in its subject committee meeting, had decided to name 11 roads of Padarayanapura in Ward 135 after Pehalwans, Hajis, and other personalities belonging to the Muslim community.
(Published 31 December 2020, 11:06 IST)
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