Bengal panel examining proposals to rename roads
A West Bengal government committee is reviewing proposals to rename several Kolkata roads currently named after communist figures like Lenin and Karl Marx. The panel aims to align street names with Indian and Bengali cultural heritage.
Why it matters
The move represents a broader ideological shift in regional governance, prioritizing nationalist identity over historical communist influence.
A 10-member committee set up by the West Bengal government is examining proposals to rename several roads, bridges and public places in the state, including three prominent Kolkata thoroughfares named after communist leaders Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Ho Chi Minh.
The panel, headed by Swami Pradiptananda, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram, is expected to hold its first meeting after Durga Puja, when proposals for renaming roads in Kolkata are likely to be taken up, a Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) official said on Monday (September 14, 2026).
The three roads under consideration are Lenin Sarani, Karl Marx Sarani, and Ho Chi Minh Sarani.
No decision has been taken yet, and any change in names will be based on the committee's recommendations, the official said.
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