AAP opposes proposal to rename Race Course Road as Ekatma Marg

Renaming of road should not reflect the ideology of the RSS, said AAP MLA Surinder Singh

AAP MLA Surinder Singh on Tuesday said he would oppose the move to rename Race Course Road, on which the Prime Minister's official residence is located, as Ekatma Marg and demanded that it be rechristened after a martyr.

Singh, a former National Security Guard (NSG) commando who suffered injury in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, said several veterans have approached him saying if the road is to be renamed then it should be done to honour martyred soldiers.

Singh, a New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) member, said he would raise the issue in the Council meeting tomorrow. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is also a member of NDMC.

"Race Course Road should be renamed after any soldier. I propose that it should be renamed after 1965 war hero Flt Lt Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, who sacrificed his life for the nation. Renaming of road should not reflect the ideology of the RSS," Singh said.

He said Race Course Road also houses two air force stations.

"I have been approached by several veterans in my constituency. They want to the road to be renamed after any solider," the Delhi Cantonment MLA said.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi has proposed to NDMC to rename Race Course Road as Ekatma Marg based on the philosophy of her party's ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay.

She said that the existing name, Race Course Road, "does not match with Indian culture".

Upadhyay is remembered by his followers for his concept of 'antyodaya' (serving the last man in the queue) and 'ekatma' (integral humanism).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off Upadhyay's 100th birth anniversary celebrations on September 25.