BJP leaders in Delhi on Wednesday attended an event to rename South Delhi’s Muhammadpur village as Madhavpuram, claiming that residents did not want to associate themselves with any “symbol of slavery”.

The party’s Delhi unit president, Adesh Gupta, posed with workers and residents in front of a freshly painted board that welcomed visitors to “Madhavpuram”.

“Completed the naming process of Madhavpuram today after a proposal was passed by the municipal corporation. Now, this village will be known as Madhavpuram instead of Muhammadpur. No Delhiites want to be associated with any symbol of slavery despite 75 years of Independence,” Gupta said in a tweet.

Gupta said the process to change the name was taken forward by residents and BJP workers after a proposal by the local party councillor was passed by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. The BJP runs the civic body.

Last week, the Delhi BJP had said the party would send a proposal to the AAP government demanding that the names of 40 villages in the city be changed as they symbolise a period of “slavery”.

“These 40 villages include Humayunpur, Yusuf Sarai, Masoodpur, Zamroodpur, Begumpur, Saidul Ajab, Fatehpur Beri, Hauz Khas and Sheikh Sarai to name a few,” Gupta said.