New Delhi Municipal Council's vice-chairman had said that Aurangzeb tried to "destroy Indian culture".
A week after Aurangzeb Lane in Lutyens' Delhi was renamed Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane, signboards with the former Indian President's name have been unveiled today.
The decision to rename the lane was taken by the New Delhi Municipal Council on June 28. The council's Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay had said a day later that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had tried to "destroy Indian culture" and no road should bear his name.
"Aurangzeb Lane has been renamed Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane, after India's former President and 'Missile Man'. Aurangzeb tried to destroy Indian culture, faith and religion. So there should not be any road in the name of Aurangzeb. I am proud that this name change has happened during my tenure," Mr Upadhyay was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
In August 2015, the municipal council had changed the name of Aurangzeb Road to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road. Aurangzeb Lane connected the road to Prithvi Raj Road.
The NDMC is controlled by the BJP and, last year, the then Delhi president of the party had sought the renaming of roads that "symbolise Muslim slavery".
Adesh Gupta had written to the NDMC and suggested that Aurangzeb Lane should be renamed Abdul Kalam Lane, Tughlaq Road should be called Guru Gobind Singh Marg, Akbar Road should be called Maharana Pratap Road, Humayun Road should be Maharshi Valmiki Road and Shahjahan Road should be named after General Bipin Rawat.
Social media posts "glorifying" 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and 18th-century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan had also triggered a huge protest in Maharashtra's Kolhapur last month. Protesters had ransacked some shops and vehicles, demanding action against the men who had posted the "offensive" material.
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