Chandni Chowk won't be named after Tendulkar

New Delhi: As a controversy erupted over a demand to rename Chandni Chowk after Sachin Tendulkar, Delhi government has asked Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) not to go ahead with any such proposal saying it is not empowered to do so.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit intervened on Wednesday in the matter after reports that MCD may consider renaming the historic Chandni Chowk, built during Mughal emperor Shahjahan's reign.

The city government said a letter was sent to the MCD Commissioner stating that any attempt to rename Chandni Chowk will be a violation of the guidelines issued by union government and it was not empowered to do so.

The letter also reminded the Commissioner that the "great historical, heritage and cultural importance" of Chandni Chowk, which is known for its unique spirit of co-existence, will be undermined if the civic body went ahead with the demand.

Following demands for honouring the cricket mastero, a councillor Suman Kumar Gupta had said he will move a proposal in this regard in the MCD House meeting scheduled on January 11. However, later he said he will be moving a proposal to name one of the streets in Chandni Chowk after Tendulkar.

The demands also elicited criticism from KN Katju Memorial Trust chaired by Press Council Chairperson Justice Markandey Katju. The Trust has in a letter to Mayor Rajni Abbi termed the move an insult to the "cultural heritage" of the country.

The city government, in the letter, reminded that the civic body is not empowered to change the names of existing roads or streets as communicated by the Union Home Ministry through a communication dated September 27, 1975.

"Moreover, MCD is, probably, aware that a State Naming Committee is functional in the city government whose permission is essential to effect any renaming of roads/streets in the national capital City.

"It would be only in the fitness of things if major stakeholders are suitably consulted before taking any decision on proposed renaming of Chandni Chowk," an official statement said.

The government also cautioned MCD against changing names of roads saying such a move may "create confusion" for the post offices and general public.

The guidelines further state that only new streets and roads etc may be named after eminent personalities, it said.