{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Kolkata moves to drop Mughal and British era names from its streets, sets up review panel under Kartik Maharaj",
  "summary": "Roads and neighbourhoods in Kolkata will no longer carry names of Mughal, Pathan or British rulers. CM Suvendu Adhikari announced a committee in the assembly to review the names.",
  "content": "A major shake-up is on the way for the names of Kolkata's roads and neighbourhoods. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has made it clear that no street or locality in the West Bengal capital will continue to carry the name of Mughal, Pathan or British rulers. He made the announcement in the assembly on Tuesday and also said a committee would be set up to review such names.\n\nThe matter came up during the discussion on the Governor's address. The real trigger for the debate was a single road in Kolkata's Park Circus area whose name was recently changed.\n\nThe debate over renaming Suhrawardy Avenue\nThe Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has renamed Suhrawardy Avenue, a road in the Park Circus area, as Gopal Mukherjee Road. On Tuesday, the assembly saw a sharp debate over this decision and over the history behind the road's original name.\n\nLeader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee questioned the change and said history was being tampered with. He argued that Suhrawardy Avenue had not been named after former Pakistan Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, who is accused of the killing of many people in Kolkata (then Calcutta) in 1946, but rather after his grandfather, Maulana Obaidullah Suhrawardy.\n\nAccording to Banerjee, the road was named in 1932 after Sir Hassan Suhrawardy, a well-known doctor who was also the first Muslim Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University.\n\nThe Chief Minister's reply to the Opposition\nResponding to Ritabrata Banerjee's claims, Suvendu Adhikari said bluntly that there would be no Mughal, Pathan or tyrannical British names left in Kolkata. He praised the decision to rename Suhrawardy Avenue, calling it a step towards correcting a historical mistake.\n\nHe then announced a committee to review the names of roads and public spaces. He said the panel would be headed by Swami Pradipananda Maharaj, who is also known as Kartik Maharaj, and that members of the public could send their suggestions to the committee.\n\n'Bengali culture cannot be erased'\nMaking his case, the Chief Minister said, \"Except Sister Nivedita, no foreign name will remain. If there are true patriots like APJ Abdul Kalam, inform us and the state government will honour them. You cannot erase Bengali culture and pride.\"\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: Bengal's move adds another example to the ongoing national debate over renaming public places.\n• In Kolkata: Residents may see several roads and localities renamed in the coming days, and they can send their own suggestions to the committee.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Which names are being barred in Kolkata?\nCM Suvendu Adhikari has said that no road or locality in the city will carry the name of Mughal, Pathan or British rulers.\n\n2. What is the new name of Suhrawardy Avenue?\nThe Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has renamed the road in the Park Circus area as Gopal Mukherjee Road.\n\n3. Who will head the renaming committee?\nThe committee will be headed by Swami Pradipananda Maharaj, who is also known as Kartik Maharaj.\n\n4. What objection did Ritabrata Banerjee raise?\nLeader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee said that renaming the road amounts to tampering with history. He argued the road was not named after the former Pakistan PM.\n\n5. After whom was Suhrawardy Avenue originally named?\nAccording to Ritabrata Banerjee, the road was named in 1932 after Sir Hassan Suhrawardy, a well-known doctor and the first Muslim Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University.\n\n6. Which foreign name is being kept?\nThe Chief Minister said that except for Sister Nivedita, no foreign name will remain.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/politics/bengal-ki-sarakon-se-hatenge-mughal-aura-british-daura-ke-nama-suvendu-adhikari-ne-samiksha-ke-lie-banai-kameti-2559",
  "category": "Politics",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-24",
  "tags": [
    "Suhrawardy Avenue",
    "Suvendu Adhikari",
    "Kolkata Municipal Corporation",
    "Street renaming",
    "Ritabrata Banerjee",
    "Kartik Maharaj",
    "West Bengal Assembly"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}