Bengaluru: The BBMP’s plans to name the 10th Main Road, from the Old Police Station Circle till Rajajinagar 5th Block under Sri Rama Mandira ward as 'Freedom Fighter Gopal Road', has turned into a controversy as the late Mr Gopal happens to be the father of Bengaluru Mayor G. Padmavathi.
Former minister and BJP MLA Suresh Kumar posted his objection to renaming of the road on Facebook. He has also posted the image of an advertisement in a leading Kannada daily inviting objections to road renaming.
Mr Kumar told Deccan Chronicle, “On Shivaratri (Friday), I visited the Kailasa Vaikunta Temple in Rajajinagar 5th Block. Temple representatives and devotees expressed their dissatisfaction over the issue. No one knows who Mr Gopal is or whether he was a freedom fighter. Residents feel that the road should be named after prominent landmarks in the area."
He said, “Is the road being renamed after Mr Gopal only because he was the father of Mayor Padmavathi? What is the proof that he was a freedom fighter? I have posted these issue on my Facebook page to gather opinion of the larger audience of Rajajinagar.”
Mayor Padmavathi said, “All due process has been followed and I have not used my powers as mayor to name it after my father. He was a freedom fighter first and then a father. The decision was presented before the BBMP council and was unanimously approved in November 2016. The BBMP invited objections by giving 30-days notice from February 18.”
The protocol
The idea of renaming roads can be mooted by the public or the BBMP Council.
Once approved in the Council, the proposal has to be published in newspapers inviting objections.
Discussions will be held at the council based on the objections and a resolution is passed which will be forwarded to the Urban Development Department to rename the road.
The Urban Development Department further intimates the postal department.
