Mangaluru: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has warned of a district-wide protest against Mangaluru City Corporation’s (MCC) decision to name the circle at Surathkal junction after Veer Savarkar.

A council meeting of MCC held on Saturday had referred a proposal in this regard to the Standing Committee on Town Planning. In fact, a proposal in this regard was mooted by Mangaluru City North MLA Y Bharath Shetty of the BJP. “Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was a freedom fighter who dedicated his life for the nation at a young age. Hence, to commemorate his sacrifice, the circle at Surathkal junction should be named after him,” the MLA wrote to the city corporation.

Corporators from the SDPI Muneeb Bengre, Shamsad Aboobakker and opposition leader from Congress A C Vinayaraj have sought notices for the meeting of the Town Planning Standing Committee which is expected to discuss the proposal.

Corporator Muneeb Bengre told TOI that the SDPI will move legally against the proposal of naming Surathkal junction after Savarkar. Bengre said that he will oppose the proposal in the Town Planning Standing Committee meeting.

Meanwhile SDPI Surathkal block president Salam Kana said the BJP is trying to deviate people’s attention from core issues by proposing to name the circle after Savarkar. “SDPI will not tolerate the Sangh Parivar’s hidden agenda of renaming places. We will hold protests jointly in association with like-minded parties and organisations. The city corporation should reject the proposal and concentrate on solving various civic issues. Surathkal was a communally sensitive area, but in recent years, there is communal harmony. However, the BJP is trying to disrupt the peace through the proposal,” he added.

According to officials, as per a government direction of 2009, Town Planning Standing committees of urban local bodies may verify any such proposals and the same needs to be published in two Kannada newspapers after a council approval. Thereafter, objections and suggestions should be invited from the public within a month and it should be placed before a council meeting again before sending it to the government for approval.