Maharashtra CM Fadnavis slams Siddaramaiah over Shivajinagar metro station naming

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis hits out at Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s proposal to rename Shivajinagar Metro Station as St. Mary station, calling it an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The political temperature spiked on Thursday as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lashed out at Karnataka CM K. Siddaramaiah for proposing to rename Bengaluru’s upcoming Shivajinagar Metro Station as St. Mary station. Fadnavis called the move “an insult” to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and accused Siddaramaiah of “setting up an alternative religious system” and “creating a wedge between communities.”

Also Read:Shivajinagar metro naming sparks clash: Citizens demand Shankar Nag over St Mary

Speaking in Mumbai, Fadnavis said he was “pained but not surprised” by the Congress-led Karnataka government’s decision. He alleged that the Congress had a history of undermining Shivaji Maharaj, citing Jawaharlal Nehru’s comments in Discovery of India. “The country saw Swarajya because of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Replacing the name is an attempt to divide communities,” Fadnavis stated.

Adding to the controversy, Shiv Sena UBT, an ally of Congress in Maharashtra, appealed to Siddaramaiah to reconsider the proposal. Party spokesperson Anand Dubey warned that “history will not forgive” the Karnataka CM if the name is changed. He stressed that naming the station after Shivaji Maharaj would uphold the shared cultural ties between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Also Read:Karnataka cabinet greenlights GAIL’s bio-CNG plant in Bengaluru, extends Ayushman Bharat to 70+citizens

Interestingly, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has not yet released an official statement on the matter. The Shivajinagar Metro Station, part of Namma Metro’s Pink Line, is under construction and sits close to key landmarks like Commercial Street, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, and St. Mary’s Basilica.

This controversy was sparked after Siddaramaiah, while attending St. Mary’s Basilica’s annual feast, promised to rename the station in honour of St. Mary, a move that has now turned into a major interstate political flashpoint.

Also Read:Jayadeva Institute to launch satellite heart hospitals across Greater Bengaluru, extend OPD hours