New Delhi, Jan 4: A proposal before the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to rename Chandni Chowk after Sachin Tendulkar has drawn flak from a body chaired by Press Council Chairperson Justice Markandey Katju which also has several legal luminaries on its board.
Claiming that any move to rename Chandni Chowk was an insult to the cultural heritage of the country, the Dr. K N Katju Memorial Trust has shot off a letter to the Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi opposing any such demand.
“In Today's National Dailies we have read news that you plan to change the name of Chandni Chowk to Sachin Tendulkar Chowk! This is a most objectionable and ridiculous move of yours,” the letter stated.
“Chandni Chowk was built by Shahjehan the Emperor and by changing the name you are going to do a great dis-service to the history of this great old city,” the letter added.
Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi had on Tuesday said that MCD has received representations from hundreds of people to honour Tendulkar but no decision has been taken yet.
A proposal to rename Chandni Chowk after Tendulkar was also among them, she had said.
The letter claimed that Mirza Ghalib had referred to Chandni Chowk in one of his letters, which meant that it was known as Chandni Chowk for a very long time.
“Chandni Chowk is a part of the cultural heritage of India. By changing its name you will be insulting our great old cultural heritage,” the letter claimed.
While Justice Markandey Katju is the Chairman of the Trust on whose behalf the letter was sent, several other luminaries are associated with it.
The advisory council includes Fali S Nariman, Ram Jethmalanai, Justice BS Chauhan, Justice AK Patnaik, Justice SK Kaul, Justice G.S.Sistani and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi besides Team Anna member Shanti Bhushan.
The letter also asked the MCD Mayor to learn from Pakistan's example where Krishna Nagar and Ram Mohallas existed in their cities.
“Hope you will take seriously our letter of dissent and protest and not do the exercise of changing Chandni Chowk to Sachin Tendulkar Chowk,” the Trust's letter written by its secretary general Harish Bhalla said.
