Rename Old Delhi railway station after Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, urges city MP Gurjeet Aujla

Member of Parliament from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla has written to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, demanding that the Old Delhi railway station be renamed after Sri Guru Teg Bahadur. In his letter to Vaishnav, Aujla stated that the station is deeply connected to Sikh history and the spirit of martyrdom, and therefore, it should be named after Guru Teg Bahadur.

The letter states, “I am writing to draw your kind attention to a matter of deep national and cultural significance. The Old Delhi Railway Station, one of the most historic and prominent stations in our country, presently carries a name rooted in the city’s colonial past. I humbly propose that this landmark station be renamed in honour of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru and one of the greatest martyrs in Indian history.”

Aujla cites Churchgate railway station in Mumbai that derives its name from a gate that once stood nearby, leading to St Thomas Cathedral — situated approximately 1.2 km from the station. “Following that precedent, it would be most fitting to name Old Delhi Railway Station after Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara, located just a short distance away, where Guru Teg Bahadur Ji attained martyrdom for upholding the principles of freedom of faith and human dignity,” he writes.

Further, Aujla suggested that if renaming Old Delhi Railway Station as “Sis Ganj Sahib Railway Station” is not feasible, as an alternative, names such as “Hind Di Chadar Guru Teg Bahadur Railway Station” or “Rakab Ganj Sahib Railway Station”, both of which would appropriately reflect the indelible contribution of the revered Guru.

Supporting his request, Aujla also cited that stations like Bakhtiyarpur Junction bear the names of historical figures such as Bakhtiyar Khalji — a Turkic invader associated with the destruction of the Nalanda University. “Yet, to this day, no national railway platform honours Guru Teg Bahadur, who sacrificed his life to protect the right to religious freedom — a foundational value of our great nation,” he writes in the letter.

Aujla is yet to receive any communication from the office of railway minister regarding his letter.