Tughlaq Lane or Vivekananda Marg? BJP leaders change nameplates of houses, stir debate (WATCH)

After the Bharatiya Janata Party returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, demands to rename several locations in the city have gained momentum. Amid this, Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma has sparked controversy by modifying the address on the nameplate at his official residence.

The nameplate, which originally read "6 Tughlaq Lane," now prominently displays "6 Vivekanand Marg," with "Tughlaq Lane" written in a smaller font below.

Sharma is not alone in this move. Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar has also altered the nameplate of his official bungalow to read "8 Vivekanand Marg." These changes come at a time when BJP legislators have been actively proposing renaming various areas of the national capital.

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Dinesh Sharma, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and now a Rajya Sabha MP, moved into his allotted residence at 6 Tughlaq Lane following a religious housewarming ceremony. Sharing pictures of the event on social media platform X, Sharma emphasized the new name, writing, "Today, I performed a religious ceremony and moved into my new residence at Swami Vivekanand Marg (Tughlaq Lane) in New Delhi with my family."

Despite these changes on personal nameplates, Tughlaq Lane has not been officially renamed, and there are no immediate plans to do so. When questioned about his decision, Sharma clarified that "Tughlaq Lane is still written on the nameplate, but alongside 'Vivekanand Marg' because, on Google Maps, this street is registered as 'Vivekanand Road.' No MP can change road names; there is a proper authority for that."

Sharma's move coincides with BJP leaders pushing for changes to other parts of the city. Mustafabad MLA Mohan Singh Bisht has proposed renaming the area to "Shivpuri" or "Shiv Vihar," while Najafgarh MLA Neelam Pehlwan has suggested calling it "Nahargarh."

This is not the first time Delhi has seen such renaming efforts. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road was renamed after former President APJ Abdul Kalam. A year later, the famous Race Course Road, home to the Prime Minister’s official residence, was changed to "Lok Kalyan Marg."

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Such changes are subject to approval by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which oversees central Delhi's roads. The 13-member council evaluates requests based on historical significance, public sentiment, and the need to honor personalities. While there is no official movement to rename Tughlaq Lane, Sharma and Gurjar’s nameplate changes signal a growing push to modify place names in alignment with ideological preferences.

With BJP leaders continuing to push for renaming areas, it remains to be seen whether these symbolic gestures will translate into formal changes—or whether they are primarily political statements meant to spark discussion.