LUCKNOW:The iconic Burlington Crossing in Lucknow has been named after Ashok Singhal, the former international working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
The executive committee of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has renamed six places, including roads, parks and a stadium after Hindu ideologues, freedom fighters, soldiers, late politicians, and social workers hailing from the city and outside.
According to official sources, the road leading to Meena Bakery Crossing in Rajajipuram has been renamed after noted Shia cleric Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar, who was the founder president of All India Shia Personal Law Board.
The trisection near the statue of Maharaja Suheldev Rajbhar at Lalbagh has been named after the Suheldev Rajbhar, the legendary king of the medieval India, who ruled in Shravasti and fought with the Muslim invaders.
Incidentally Suheldev Rajbhar is the ideologue of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), a former ally of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
It has also been decided to rename a park in Azad Nagar Colony after a freedom fighter, though the name has not been finalised yet. The mayor will choose from the names of 1857 revolt heroes Mangal Pandey, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Babu Kunwar Singh.
A road in Aliganj area will be named after freedom fighter Sohan Lal Saxena, street near the Amiruddaula Public Library after artist Prof Sukhvir Sanghal, Alambagh Teripulia Trisection as Khalsa Chowk, a park in Sanjay Gandhi Puram Colony after Chandra Shekhar Azad, the street near Ashiana Power House as Digambar Jain Temple Marg.
The decision to rename the streets comes barely weeks before the municipal polls are scheduled in Lucknow.