BJP's 'Massacre' Claim After Road Name Change. Then Trinamool's History Jibe

The renaming of a road in Kolkata has emerged as the latest flashpoint between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, weeks after the ruling dispensation vowed a 'poriborton' (change).

Suhrawardy Avenue, a wide stretch connecting two key crossings in Kolkata, will now be known as Gopal Mukherjee Road, in what appears to be the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)'s tribute to a figure widely known as the 'saviour' of the city.

The issue is who the civic body had in mind while deciding to remove Suhwarady's name from the road.

While Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was quick to link Suhwarady with a massacre, the Trinamool claimed it wasn't him who inspired the naming of that particular road.

I commend the historic decision taken by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, yesterday, on the solemn occasion of Paschimbanga Divas, which would be instrumental in rectifying a historical wrong.
Suhrawardy Avenue will now be renamed as Gopal Mukherjee Road.

For decades, a major… pic.twitter.com/eUmZj1msE9

— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) June 21, 2026

Suhrawardy Avenue was named after Dr Sir Hassan Suhrawardy, who was the former vice chancellor of Calcutta University, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh pointed out.

What's In A Name?

A one-line KMC notification dated June 20 said that the civic body has decided to rename Suhrawardy Avenue to Gopal Mukherjee Road. Chief Minister Adhikari praised the move, calling it a move to "rectify a historical wrong."

"I commend the historic decision taken by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation yesterday, on the solemn occasion of Paschimbanga Divas, which would be instrumental in rectifying a historical wrong," he said in a post on X.

Read: On Trinamool Turncoats In Bengal, BJP Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Adhikari added the renaming would ensure Bengal remembers and honours its real hero, while dissing Suhrawardy as someone who misused state power as a weapon.

"For decades, a major artery of our city bore the name of someone who willfully misused state power as a weapon, orchestrating the massacre of innocent citizens for sheer political gain. By renaming it after Shri Gopal Mukherjee, the fearless soul who stepped up as a protector-in-chief to defend and save thousands of innocent lives, finally restoration of historical justice will be achieved by honouring a true guardian and saviour," he stressed.

While Trinamool chose not to comment on the renaming bit, it questioned the reason that was cited for the removal of Suhrawardy's name. Kunal Ghosh pointed out it was Hussain Suhrawardy who was linked to the infamous Calcutta killings and massacres, and he was not the same person as Dr Sir Hassan Suhrawardy, a prominent physician and educationist.

Read: "Bengal Has Seen Poriborton": PM Modi On BJP's Big Victory

.@SuvenduWB
I think KMC has done a great mistake.

The related road is named after/ in memory of Dr SIR HASSAN SUHRAWARDY, Former Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University, an prominent physician and educationist. He was Chief Medical Officer of East Indian Railway. He joined… https://t.co/wPZGHYO30j pic.twitter.com/tQF33ozd9v

— Kunal Ghosh (@KunalGhoshAgain) June 21, 2026

"Hussain Sheed Suhrawardy, who was administrative chief that time and connected with the 'Calcutta killing', is Dr Suhrawardy's nephew and both are not the same person. Hon'ble Chief Minister must check the fact, should instruct KMC to check the records. If, by mistake, instead of nephew, they punish his uncle, that will be unfortunate," he wrote in an X post.

A prominent citizen of his time, Dr Suhrawardy had also served as the chief medical officer of East Indian Railway and was also a member of the Bengal Legislative Council, he added.

2 Suhrawardys And One Gopal

It's common to confuse two people with the same surname, more so if they belong to the same family. But for Suhrawardys, it is their characters that pulled different weights and different emotions.

Lt Col Sir Hassan Suhrawardy was the first Muslim vice chancellor of Calcutta University. A Fellow at the Royal College of Surgeons, he was bestowed with knighthood after he saved the life of soldier and politician Sir Stanley Jackson from revolutionary Bina Das.

Historians point out that the road at the centre of the controversy was named after him in 1933, long before the Calcutta riots.

Read: The Story Of A Bengal Butcher Who 'Saved' Calcutta

His nephew, however, was made different. Hussain Sheed Suhrawardy, who served as prime minister of the Bengal province between 1946-47, is widely seen as the mastermind behind the 'Direct Action Day' that involved open calls to slaughter Hindus.

Suhrawardy's regime was held responsible for the Great Calcutta Killings and accused of giving open calls to slaughter Hindus. And rightfully so, he is known today as the 'Butcher of Bengal.'

Gopal Mukherjee, whose name now adorns the road, was the 'messiah' that the affected Hindus longed for during the riots. A literal butcher by profession, he is widely known as Gopal Patha, a name that refers to a mutton shop that his family once ran.

Gopal Patha is remembered for his resistance against rioters and the brutality of Hussain Suhrawardy's regime.