To express his love to his father, a Congress Corporator from Bangalore has resorted to a strange decision of renaming roads after his father, who is incidentally still alive. Congress leader Ajmal Baig, a BBMP Corporator from Bapuji Nagar ward( Ward No.134) has decided to rename a stretch from Pipeline Road to Shammanna Garden Underpass as Gafoor Road, after his father Gafoor Baig.
According to the reports, the Congress Corporator is also planning to rename other stretches falling in his ward to appease a particular community. The BJP has accused him of misusing public spaces for personal reasons and also, for violating BBMP’s standing order which prohibits naming of roads after people who are still alive.
Ajmal Baig is reportedly planning to rename the stretch from Sunni Chowk to Mysuru Road as Subania Masjid Road. The stretch from Santosh Tent Road to Shobha Tent Road to be named as Jamia Masjid Road. Another road Shamanna Garden 6th cross to Bapuji Nagar 17th cross to be renamed Khadath Masjid Road. Bapuji Nagar 1st main to Bapuji Nagar 17th cross to be known as Heera Masjid Road and 34 Bapuji Nagar ward to be renamed as Fathima Bi Layout and Ameer Kalmi Nagar.
The Congress Corporator, however, has justified his decision to rename stretches in his ward by saying that his father was a philanthropist who has spent lakhs of rupees on poor in the Muslim-dominated area. “My father is an important leader in this locality and every year he donates ration to more than 15,000 people during Ramzan”, Ajmal told to the media.
He further added that to honour his father’s good work he has renamed the stretch. Ajmal also said he has proposed to change the names of the streets as there is a majority population belonging to the Muslim community. He questioned the people who are criticising his decision by saying that there are more than 50,000 people belonging to the Muslim community.
The BJP has slammed the Congress Corporator’s decision of renaming some stretches in the ward to appease minorities. Padmanabha Reddy, the leader of opposition in Municipal Council and BJP member has written to the Mayor on the issue and said that Ajmal Baig has violated the rule no.51 of the KMC Act, which bars changing names of public properties to honour a person who is still alive.
“I strongly condemn the proposal to rename layouts mooted by Congress Corporator Ajmal Baig. According to rule no.51 of the KMC Act, it is a violation. This is Hindustan not Pakistan”, said Padmanabha Reddy.
G Parameshwara, however, said, “The proposal to name the road was approved by BBMP council after inviting objections. It will be sent to the government for a final decision. If the proper procedure has not been followed, the government can reject the same.”
