Meerut: Afzal Ahmad Khan, 85, the scion of the 17th century Mughal nobleman Nawab Abu Muhammad Khan who built many city landmarks, including Abu Lane which was renamed after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee by Cantonment Board on Thursday, is unhappy. “We have deep respect for Atalji but discrediting those illustrious souls who contributed to the transformation of old cities should not be overlooked. It's painful,” he said.His ancestor Abu Muhammad Khan is remembered for massive structures he built in Meerut region, including a canal that brought drinking water into the city from Kali Nadi on whose banks the city was situated. Later when a fault occurred during repair works, the British converted it into a drain that today caters to 3.5 million city population and is still known as Abu Nala. Abu Lane is situated along side this drain but houses the city's most niche showrooms and market.The famous Ghantaghar or clock tower which can often be seen in many Bollywood films is yet another marvel built by Abu Muhammad Khan more than 350 years ago. His elaborate mausoleum erected by his family in 1688 still stands.Deeply perturbed by the ongoing development, Afzal said, “Our family has in the past four centuries contributed immensely to the development of this city. They had donated huge chunks of lands for social causes. For instance, the district hospital is standing on one such land. Even two of the nine gates of old city were constructed by our ancestors. Those illustrious souls are no longer there and we do not have means to preserve their legacy. Even the graves and mausoleums of the erstwhile nawabs are in the state of neglect and encroached upon. The current regime is trying to obliterate the very existence of our past. I am not a politician but I know one thing: Those who forget their past, future never forgives them.”“Political leaders should respect history like we respect Atalji,” he added.Cantt Board vice-chairperson Beena Vadhwa, however, said that it was a small issue which “should not be politicized”. She said, “In 1982, Abu Lane was renamed after Guru Rabindranath Tagore and this finds a mention in the gazette as well. In legal documents, it is still known as Ravindrapuri, but for all practical purposes, it is still known as Abu Lane. This is a small issue and should not be politicized. In any case, I have strong reasons to believe that Central Command will reject the proposal sent by Board members.”Abu Muhammad Khan’s many feats have been chronicled by the British officials too.Col TN Parker, who was the joint magistrate of Meerut Cantonment in 1904, writes in his book, The Memoir of Meerut, “Nawab Abu lived in the first half of 17th century during the reigns of Jehangir and Shahjahan. He held the title of Hazari in the royal court which meant that he commanded an army of 1,000 foot soldiers and 800 cavalry of the royal army.”Amit Pathak, author of ‘1857 – Living History’ and fellow of Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research (CAFHR), said, “It was Nawab Abu Khan who erected the famous Kamboh Gate of Meerut fort, which after facelift came to be known as Subhash Dwar or simply Ghantaghar Gate. He also constructed a canal with the aim of bringing fresh drinking water from Kali Nadi to the Meerut city. However, due to some reasons water could never be brought into the city through this canal. Even today the canal is named after him and is called Abu Nala. It passes through the heart of the present day Meerut and also divides Meerut cantonment into two sections.”

Stay updated with all the Meerut Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.