Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Dinesh Sharma has called for the systematic renaming of roads that bear names associated with the Mughal Empire, arguing that public infrastructure should instead commemorate India’s freedom fighters and national heroes. The proposal, raised during a parliamentary discussion, frames the removal of Mughal nomenclature as a necessary step in reclaiming national identity and correcting historical narratives.
The demand by Sharma, a Rajya Sabha member representing Uttar Pradesh, centers on the distinction between those he characterizes as “invaders” and those he defines as “heroes.” According to a report by India Today, Sharma asserted during the session, “We must honour heroes, not invaders,” suggesting that the continued presence of Mughal names in the public square serves as a lingering reminder of foreign conquest rather than indigenous achievement.
The proposal does not currently name specific roads or provide a detailed legislative roadmap for implementation. Because road naming typically falls under the jurisdiction of municipal corporations and state governments, any widespread change would require coordination across various levels of local administration. While the central government maintains authority over roads on federal property, the broader scope of Sharma’s request would necessitate action from state-level executives and city councils.
Analysis: The push to rename Mughal-era landmarks is less about urban planning and more about the symbolic contestation of Indian history. By categorizing the Mughals exclusively as “invaders,” the BJP seeks to shift the national consciousness away from a syncretic view of Indian history toward one that emphasizes a native, resistance-based identity. This framing allows the party to present name changes not as the erasure of history, but as the restoration of a suppressed truth.
This initiative is part of a consistent pattern of nomenclature shifts pursued by BJP-led governments at both the state and central levels since 2014. The party has consistently targeted names perceived as remnants of colonial or “foreign” influence. Notable examples include the renaming of the city of Allahabad to Prayagraj and the transition of Faizabad district to Ayodhya. Similarly, the Mughalsarai railway junction—one of the most significant transit hubs in the region—was renamed Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction to honor a prominent BJP leader and social reformer.
These changes often coincide with larger ideological projects. The renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj, for instance, aligned with the broader effort to emphasize the city’s ancient spiritual identity over its later administrative names. By replacing Mughal or colonial labels with those of indigenous rulers, saints, or political figures, the current administration aims to align the physical geography of India with its political ideology of “cultural reclamation.”
The debate over these changes has created a sharp divide between supporters and critics. Proponents of the renaming process argue that for decades, post-independence India maintained a narrative that marginalized indigenous rulers and resistance figures in favor of a more “cosmopolitan” or colonial-inherited history. They contend that renaming public spaces is a form of psychological liberation, ensuring that future generations identify with the figures who fought for India’s sovereignty.
Conversely, critics argue that such initiatives represent a selective and politicized reading of history. Historians and civil society advocates have suggested that the Mughal era, despite its origins in conquest, contributed significantly to India’s architecture, administration, language, and composite culture. They argue that removing these names does not change the past but instead attempts to sanitize the historical record for the purpose of political mobilization. Some critics further suggest that the focus on nomenclature diverts public attention from contemporary governance and infrastructure challenges.
Analysis: The strategic timing of these proposals often aligns with electoral cycles or periods of heightened nationalist sentiment. By focusing on “invaders” versus “heroes,” the discourse simplifies complex historical eras into a binary of loyalty and betrayal. This approach is highly effective for mobilizing a specific voter base, as it transforms a municipal administrative task—changing a street sign—into a high-stakes act of patriotism.
As the proposal gains traction within parliamentary circles, several key areas remain to be seen. First is the question of scale: whether this will remain a series of sporadic, state-led initiatives or evolve into a centralized directive for municipal bodies across the country. Second is the potential for legal challenges; previous renaming efforts have occasionally faced hurdles in courts over the costs associated with updating official records, maps, and land deeds.
Furthermore, the criteria for who qualifies as a “hero” will likely become a point of contention. While the focus is currently on freedom fighters, the selection of specific figures—whether they are from the independence movement, ancient dynasties, or modern political leadership—will reveal the specific ideological priorities of the implementing authorities.
The call by MP Dinesh Sharma underscores a continuing trend in Indian public life where the landscape is being repurposed as a canvas for ideological expression. While the administrative process of renaming a road is straightforward, the underlying objective is a fundamental reconfiguration of how the Indian state acknowledges its past. By prioritizing “heroes” over “invaders,” the BJP continues to signal a departure from the pluralistic nomenclature of the previous era, moving instead toward a national identity defined by indigenous resistance and cultural purity.
Sources:
– India Today, “Honour heroes, not invaders: BJP MP wants Mughal-era road names changed,” August 5, 2026. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dinesh-sharma-mughal-roads-bjp-mp-seeks-renaming-after-freedom-fighters-2964605-2026-08-05
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Story synopsis gathered from: India Today – India — source
