The BJP-led government of West Bengal renamed Suhrawardy Avenue to Gopal Mukherjee Road in Kolkata [1].
This change reflects a broader political effort to reshape the city's public identity by removing names associated with historical figures the current administration deems oppressive or unsuitable for modern Bengal.
The renaming took place in June 2024 [2]. The move is part of a wider policy to purge the city's geography of names linked to the Mughal Empire, Pathans, or British colonial rulers [1], [2].
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari (BJP) said that no street in Kolkata would carry the names of Mughals, Pathans, or oppressive British rulers [2]. This statement was issued on June 23, 2024 [3].
Local reports indicate the decision to rename Suhrawardy Avenue was specifically driven by the desire to remove a name associated with a historical figure blamed for killings [1]. The administration chose Gopal Mukherjee as the replacement to highlight a different historical legacy.
The process of renaming streets in the city has sparked public debate regarding the politics of memory and the erasure of historical markers. Critics argue that such changes are politically motivated, while supporters suggest they are necessary to reclaim national identity — a common theme in recent regional governance.
Government officials said that further changes may occur as the administration continues to review the names of public thoroughfares across West Bengal [2].
“No street in Kolkata to have names of Mughals, Pathans or oppressive British rulers.”
The renaming of Suhrawardy Avenue is a symbolic application of the BJP's national strategy to prioritize indigenous and nationalist historical figures over those associated with Islamic or colonial rule. By altering the urban landscape of Kolkata, the government is attempting to align the physical city with its ideological framework of historical revisionism.
