The New Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday renamed Dalhousie Road in the national capital as Dara Shikoh Road after the elder brother of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
The municipal body passed a proposal, put forward by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi who is also a council member, to this effect at a special meeting convened by its chairman Naresh Kumar.
"The council has decided to rename the road to honour Dara Shikhoh for bringing Hindus and Muslims together," Lekhi said.
Dalhousie Road, which is less than 2 kms from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, was named after Lord Dalhousie, who served as Governor General of India from 1848 to 1856.
"The proposal was first moved in 2014 for renaming Aurangzeb Road after Dara Shikoh. However, after former President APJ Abdul Kalam passed away, the road was renamed in his honour," a council member said.
Lekhi's proposal was supported by NDMC Vice Chairman Karan Singh Tanwar but AAP MLA Surinder Singh questioned the timing of the recommendation in view of assembly polls in four states.
"The proposal was carefully moved with an aim of pleasing the Muslim electorate ahead of the UP Assembly polls," Singh alleged after the meeting.
He said he had recommended that the road be renamed as Raja Surajmal Road as "he was the only ruler who was concerned about the wellbeing of people of all religions".
This is the third time that the NDMC has renamed a road in less than two years. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road was named as APJ Abdul Kalam Road. Race Course Road, where the Prime Minister's residence is located, was renamed as Lok Kalyan Marg last year.
