Leading the protest, Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad criticised the decision to name the station near the Nehru Science Centre simply as “Science Centre,” calling it an attempt to erase the legacy of India’s first Prime Minister
Congress leaders and workers, carrying placards, gathered near the Siddhivinayak Metro station to voice their opposition. Representational pic
The Mumbai unit of the Congress on Tuesday staged a protest against the naming of several Metro stations on the Aqua Line, alleging that the BJP-led government had insulted Maharashtra’s great personalities.
According to the news agency PTI, the party objected to Metro stations such as Siddhivinayak, Mahalaxmi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and Acharya Atre Chowk carrying corporate names as prefixes.
Leading the protest, Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad criticised the decision to name the station near the Nehru Science Centre simply as “Science Centre,” calling it an attempt to erase the legacy of India’s first Prime Minister.
As per the PTI, she accused the BJP of prioritising corporate interests over public sentiment and said the party’s “anti-Maharashtra stance” and “disrespect towards eminent figures” would not be tolerated.
Congress leaders and workers, carrying placards, gathered near the Siddhivinayak Metro station to voice their opposition.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: BJP opposes name in Urdu on railway station boards
BJP legislator Sanjay Kenekar on Tuesday demanded the removal of the Urdu script from the nameboards of the recently renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar railway station.
Last week, the government issued a notification officially renaming Aurangabad railway station to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, aligning it with the city’s new name adopted three years ago.
Kenekar, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, questioned the use of Urdu on the signage, saying, “When the notification mentions only Hindi, English, and Marathi, why is Urdu being used? I was shocked to see it.”
He went on to criticise the railway authorities, remarking, “Were the officials related to the Mughals? Writing the name in Urdu is an attempt to impose the Nizami language on us. We have already faced rulers who tried to erase our history.”
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, formerly Aurangabad, was part of the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad State until 1948.
Kenekar’s comments drew a sharp response from AIMIM Maharashtra president and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel, who said, “Instead of inaugurating useful projects like the pit line, they’re busy with nameboards. If they don’t understand other languages, that’s their issue. Even the Delhi railway station, near where their top leader sits, has Urdu and Punjabi names on its signboards.”
(With PTI inputs)
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