No to renaming Chandni Chowk after Sachin Tendulkar

Delhi government has asked Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) not to go ahead with any such proposal to rename Chandni Chowk after Sachin Tendulkar.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit intervened yesterday 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 K N 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.