Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 7: Two BJP MPs, Dinesh Sharma and Krishan Pal Gurjar, have triggered a political debate by putting up nameplates outside their official residences in New Delhi’s Tughlaq Lane, renaming the address as Swami Vivekanand Marg (Tughlak Lane).

Dismissing allegations of indulging in name-change politics, the MPs insisted that the move was a mark of respect for Swami Vivekananda and not aimed at stoking controversy. “This is not about Hindu-Muslim politics but an expression of admiration for a great leader,” said Sharma, a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh.

Sharma pointed out that Google Maps already shows the road as Swami Vivekanand Marg, and insisted he was well aware of the official process for renaming roads. Meanwhile, Gurjar, an MP from Haryana’s Faridabad, admitted that there is no official approval yet but expressed hope that authorities would endorse the change.

The renaming of roads associated with Mughal-era figures has been a long-standing demand by certain BJP leaders. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road was officially renamed after A P J Abdul Kalam, while similar proposals for other streets have also surfaced.

Gurjar took a dig at opposition parties, accusing them of glorifying Mughal rulers while ignoring Indian icons like Swami Vivekananda. Congress MP Imran Masood, however, dismissed the move as a ‘gimmick’, alleging that the BJP was resorting to divisive politics instead of addressing key public issues.