New Delhi [India]: Jamal Siddiqui, National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minority Wing, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rename the historic India Gate as “Bharat Mata Dwar.” Siddiqui’s request, made through a formal letter, reflects the growing emphasis on patriotism and Indian cultural identity under PM Modi’s leadership.
Siddiqui highlighted in his letter the numerous initiatives taken during PM Modi’s tenure that have sought to address the wounds of colonial rule and celebrate Indian heritage. “The way wounds inflicted by the Mughal invaders and plundering British have been healed and the stains of colonialism have been wiped clean during your tenure has brought joy across the nation,” he wrote.
The BJP leader acknowledged several significant changes, including renaming Aurangzeb Road to APJ Abdul Kalam Road, replacing the statue of King George V at India Gate with a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and renaming Rajpath to Kartavya Path.
“In the same spirit, I humbly request you to consider renaming India Gate to ‘Bharat Mata Dwar.’ Renaming India Gate to Bharat Mata Dwar would serve as a true tribute to the thousands of patriotic martyrs whose names are inscribed on its pillar,” Siddiqui stated in his letter.
He emphasized that such a move would honor the sacrifices of Indian martyrs and further bolster the nation’s cultural identity.
In 2022, PM Modi inaugurated the renamed Kartavya Path, which replaced the colonial-era name “Kingsway.” During the event, PM Modi remarked, “A new era has begun in the form of Kartvya Path. Symbol of colonialism ‘Kingsway’ will be history and has been erased forever. I congratulate all the people of the country as we come out from another symbol of colonialism.”
PM Modi had also stated that the Rajpath symbolized the British Raj and India’s colonial past. “Rajpath was also a symbol of slavery and its structure was also a symbol of slavery. Today its architecture has also changed and its spirit has also changed,” he said.