Sachin Tendulkar's Chandni Chowk controversy

The iconic Chandni Chowk in the national capital's old quarters cannot be renamed by the city's civic body, the Delhi government said Thursday in the wake of a proposal to rename the area after cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.

"The city government has asked the MCD (Municipul Corporation of Delhi) to avoid taking any decision on renaming Chandni Chowk as the civic body is not empowered to change the names of the existing roads/streets etc. as communicated by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs vide its communication dated Sep 27, 1975," an official statement said.

The statement comes after the MCD was reported to be considering a proposal by a councillor to rename Chandini Chowk after Tendulkar.

The Congress-led Delhi government has also sent a letter to the MCD commissioner stating that any attempt to rename Chandni Chowk will not only be a violation of the guidelines issued by the union government but will also undermine the great historical, heritage and cultural importance of the area.

"It would be only in the fitness of things, if major stakeholders are suitably consulted before taking any decision on proposed renaming of Chandni Chowk," the statement said.

The MCD was also urged to refer to home ministry guidelines which state that the names of existing street/roads should not be changed as this may create confusion for the post offices and general public, apart from depriving citizens of a sense of history.

The guidelines further state that only new streets or roads may be named after eminent personalities.

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