The move by the Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah to name the next metro station in Bengaluru Shivajinagar after St Mary has garnered a controversial political debate, attracting negative reactions by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as Maharashtra leaders.
In a recent development at St Mary’s Basilica in Shivajinagar, Siddaramaiah said that he had urged the Centre to name the new metro station after St Mary. But the offer was instantly discounted by the chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, who termed it an insult to Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “I criticise the decision by the Karnataka government to rename the metro station of Shivajinagar to St Mary. It is a betrayal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” Fadnavis remarked, “and it recalled how Congress had long been disrespectful of the Maratha king, including what Jawaharlal Nehru had said in Discovery of India.”
Fadnavis also urged Siddaramaiah to re-evaluate the move, saying, “I hope Almighty God helps Siddaramaiah change his mind on the plan that is rooted in religion and disrespects Shivaji Maharaj.”
Maharashtra BJP leaders have also criticised it because of the controversy. MLC Chitra Wagh claimed that the demand to change the name of the metro station was made by Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad and that the Congress was expressing hate towards Shivaji Maharaj. She also challenged the Maharashtra Congress to explain its position regarding the matter, indicating that the step revealed the actual motive of the party.
Having strong emotions, the renaming proposal turned out to be a point of conflict between Karnataka and Maharashtra politics. Although the supporters of the Congress name the change as a tribute to the local culture, the BJP demands that they do away with the name because it is an insult to the legacy of one of the greatest warrior kings in India. The Centre is the ultimate decision maker, but they are not likely to end the political storm in the near future.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News