At a time, when changing name of places has become a routine exercise and is probably the most discussed topic across the country, a Shiv Sena corporator from Kurla Dilip Lande has moved a notice of motion in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and demanded that the name of Malabar Hill in Mumbai must be changed to Ramnagri after Lord Rama.

The proposal will be tabled before the general body of BMC on December 13.

Lande, who defected to Sena from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) last year, is confident that the proposal will be cleared without any opposition.

"Everyone has faith in Lord Rama and it will be cleared without any opposition," said Lande.

Lande said that he got the idea to change the Malabar Hill name after Lord Rama while reading a book Aik Mumbai Tuzhi Kahani, (Mumbai, hear your story) a book by M D David.

He said while reading the book, he learned that Lord Rama spent some time at Malabar Hill while he was in exile. "We all know that water oozed out in Malabar Hill area after Lord Rama shot an arrow and then a part of the place is also known as Banganga," said Lande.

He added that if we can name a place Banganga, it is also possible that we call the area as Ramnagari, as Lord Rama spent some time there.

"If Lord Rama did not spend time, how would he have shot an arrow and water had sprang up there," said Lande.

However, the opposition sees politics in it. "Since the party failed to deliver in the four and half years in the state and also at the corporation in last one year, it is trying to divert people from real issues," said Ravi Raja, Congress corporator and leader of opposition in the BMC.

He added that this is nothing but there is a race between Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to prove who is bigger devotee of Lord Rama.

Lande refuted the allegation and said that the purpose is not to propagate the present Ram temple issue or taking any political mileage.

"I had moved the proposal in November when there was nothing being talked about the temple. It is my emotion and devotion to Lord Rama," added Lande.

A MATTER OF ‘EMOTION AND DEVOTION’