NCP leader Tariq Anwar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the renaming of Aurangzeb Road saying it amounted to removing from history the name of the person who came up with the concept of ‘Akhanda Bharat’.
In his letter, Anwar cited the opposition to the move by historians and scholars such as Justice (retd) Rajinder Sachar, lawyer N D Pancholi and quoted Orissa ex-Governor B N Pandey’s works in making his point.
“It is an attempt to remove the name of such a person from the pages of history who, according to historians, gave us the concept of Akhanda Bharat.
“The way Aurangzeb has been shown, after reading works of B N Pandey and other historians, one feels that the British tried to malign his image,” the letter said.
The NCP General Secretary said the works of these scholars have proven that Aurangzeb wanted to take all sections of the society forward and had also given land to build several temples.
Anwar expressed hope that the Prime Minister will stop attempts to “play with history” keeping the sentiments of these academics in mind.
NDMC took the decision to rename the road in Lutyen’s Delhi on August 28 after late former President A P J Abdul Kalam, after a proposal was moved in this regard.