Kolkata's Suhrawardy Avenue, a road named after former Bengal Premier Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, has been renamed after 80 years, sparking political controversy. The decision, supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), who accuse Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of settling a personal vendetta under the guise of historical correction.
Renaming Ceremony and Political Backlash
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officially renamed the avenue after Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, on February 27, 2025. Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC member now with the BJP, was instrumental in pushing for the change. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee both criticized the move, with Gandhi tweeting, "Eighty years later, an uncle pays for a nephew's sins," referring to Suhrawardy's alleged role in the 1946 Direct Action Day riots and his nephew being Suvendu Adhikari's relative.
At a press conference, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "This is a political stunt. Suvendu Adhikari is using history to target Muslims and settle scores. The road had been named after a respected leader for decades, and now it's changed to appease a particular ideology." He added that the move was "an insult to Bengal's syncretic culture."
Historical Context and Controversy
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy served as the Prime Minister of Bengal from 1946 to 1947 and was a key figure in the Pakistan movement. He is widely blamed for the Great Calcutta Killings of August 1946, which claimed over 4,000 lives. However, his supporters argue that he later worked for peace and communal harmony. The renaming has rekindled debates over his legacy.
BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya defended the move, saying, "Suhrawardy was responsible for one of the worst communal riots in India's history. Renaming the road after Syama Prasad Mukherjee, a nationalist icon, is a fitting tribute. It corrects a historical wrong." He also accused the TMC of "protecting the legacy of a man who divided Bengal."
Political Fallout and Next Steps
The controversy has escalated into a broader political battle ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. The TMC has announced plans to hold protests across the state, while the BJP is organizing rallies to support the renaming. The Congress, though weak in Bengal, has joined the TMC in condemning the move, with state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury saying, "This is a dangerous trend of rewriting history to suit political agendas."
Suvendu Adhikari, in a statement, dismissed the criticism: "The Congress and TMC have no moral right to lecture us. They have been silent on the atrocities committed by Suhrawardy. This renaming is a step towards justice for the victims of the 1946 riots." He also challenged the opposition to "debate the historical facts."
The KMC has confirmed that the new nameplates have been installed and that the change is effective immediately. The road, located in the heart of Kolkata, houses several government offices and landmarks, including the state secretariat Nabanna.
