Plan to name roads after Muslim leaders in Bengaluru dropped after Tejasvi Surya objects

After some BJP MPs and a section of the public voiced their opposition, the city civic body has written to the government recommending dropping the proposal to name 11 roads in Padarayanapura ward after social workers and leaders belonging to the minority community. The BBMP, in its meeting held in September, had decided to name the roads in Ward 135 after social workers and other personalities, all belonging to the Muslim community.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday described the move as reeking of “communal mentality of two-nation theory”, and requested the Bengaluru municipal authorities to revise the list with non- Muslim public figures.

Claiming that the list of names mooted by BBMP has only Muslim names, Tejasvi Surya said, “Christening of roads in Muslim-dominated locality with only Muslim names reeks of the same communal mentality of the two-nation theory and Muslim League’s demand of separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims. This is dangerous and must be condemned.” The 29-year-old MP said there was no dearth of non-Muslim public figures and patriots on whom the roads can be named after. He requested the commissioner to reconsider his decision.

In his December 31 letter, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad has cited objections from sections of citizens including BJP MPs Anantkumar Hegde, P C Mohan and Tejasvi Surya,among others. He has also cited certain sections of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 in his letter to the Additional Chief Secretary Urban Development department, while recommending to the government that the proposal be dropped.

“After the public uproar over proposed naming of certain roads in a few Muslim dominated Bangalore after only Muslim names, BBMP has dropped the idea.A vigilant Hindu society can thwart such ill intentioned attempts,” Surya had tweeted the same day the BBMP Commissioner wrote to the government. The issue had come to light when the BBMP called for objections to the renaming proposal.

Following this, Hegde and Surya had written to the BBMP Commissioner objecting to the proposal. In his letter, Surya had said, “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 Leagues demand for separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims. This is dangerous and must be condemned.”