India’s richest road, Aurangzeb Road was renamed after former President APJ Abdul Kalam on Friday by New Delhi Municipal Corporation.
Earlier this month, BJP MP from East Delhi, Maheish Girri had urged PM Narendra Modi to consider renaming Delhi’s Aurangzeb Road after Kalam to correct “wrongs” of history.
83-year-old Kalam passed away on July 27 in Shillong after suffering a massive heart attack.
Girri had written a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard which says the move would be a fitting tribute to the memory of the Missile Man.
“The whole nation is mourning the death of Kalam. He was a great scientist and social reformer who inspired millions across the country as well as dedicated his whole life for our motherland. As a tribute to the “People’s President”, I hereby propose to rename the Aurangzeb road in New Delhi as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road,” the East Delhi MP wrote in the letter.
Later, talking to the media, he justified his demand saying that the name Aurangzeb symbolises “cruelty” and “if there has been wrongs we can always correct them.”
Learning about the news , Girri thanked people for their support.
Aurangzeb was a 17th century Mughal ruler under whom the empire became one of the wealthiest and most powerful in the world at that point of time, much accredited to his cruelty and deceit.
Here is the original letter by Maheish Girri: