Why so many roads, airports, stadia named for the Gandhis, asks Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor, one of the more respected voices in Hindi cinema and an active voice on social media, has set the cat among the pigeons by asking the question that has bothered many for decades. Rishi Kapoor has questioned the Congress party’s obsession for naming streets, airports and other important places after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The actor expressed his views in a series of tweets.

The actor wondered why prominent streets and places were not named after legends from the film industry or other political greats like Dr BR Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh.

In another tweet, Rishi Kapoor said Film City in Mumbai should be named after some legend of Hindi cinema rather than being called Rajiv Gandhi Udyog.

Speaking to a news channel from the India Today Group, Rishi Kapoor said he respects the Nehru-Gandhi family but cannot understand why only their name should feature so prominently on Indian streets and in stadia and airports.

Rishi Kapoor's comments came in the wake of the tussle between the Congress and the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party over renaming of Akbar Road in New Delhi as Maharana Pratap Road.

The actor's views were backed by fellow actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member Anupam Kher. Speaking to Times Now, Kher said he was glad that someone as senior as Rishi Kapoor chose to speak on the renaming controversy.