Tipu Sultan’s name removed from Malad garden : Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha

The Maharashtra government has stripped the title of a public garden named after 18th-century ruler Tipu Sultan, a year after the renovated garden in Malad West was inaugurated by the previous government led by the Shiv Sena.

The decision was announced by the guardian minister for Mumbai suburbs, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, on Friday afternoon. Lodha said the decision was taken in a DPDC meeting last week, following demands from the local public and from their elected representatives; and that the board at its entrance identifying the garden by this name was removed two days ago with the initiative of the locals from the area.

On Friday afternoon, Lodha took to social media and said, “Finally, victory of the Right! Ordered removal of name Tipu Sultan from the park in Malad after considering the protests by Sakal Hindu Samaj & demand by @iGopalShetty Ji in the DPDC meeting. Last year MVA govt had named the ground after Tipu Sultan and we had to protest it!”

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मालाड येथील उद्यानाला अनधिकृत रीतीने दिलेले टिपू सुलतानचे नाव हटवले, या संदर्भात मीडियाशी संवाद साधताना…. pic.twitter.com/HDPeuQCNzW

— Mangal Prabhat Lodha (@MPLodha) January 27, 2023

“The garden was, in fact, never officially called Tipu Sultan. There is no record with the BMC or government that identifies the garden with that name. So how can this be a political decision when the name did not even exist in the first place?” Lodha added on Friday afternoon.

He said there are other names in consideration for the garden. The government is mulling renaming the garden after freedom fighters such as Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, or Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar. “Renaming the garden is a long process and it will be done by the government and BMC,” Lodha said.

Source : Indian Express