The plot to separate Mumbai, which has always belonged to the Marathi people, from Maharashtra was foiled by Marathi leaders and the public, the MNS chief said
Raj Thackeray. File Pic
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray on Wednesday said Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh's remark on not changing IIT Bombay's name to IIT Mumbai shows the government's mindset, reported news agency PTI.
"As far as IIT Bombay is concerned, thank God it still is this name. You have not changed it to Mumbai. So that's another compliment to you. And also true for Madras. It remains IIT Madras," the minister had said, addressing a function at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on Monday.
Responding to the minister's remarks, Thackeray said Singh's statement clearly appears to be a symbol of the government's mindset.
The plot to separate Mumbai, which has always belonged to the Marathi people, from Maharashtra was foiled by Marathi leaders and the public, the MNS chief said in a post on X.
केंद्रीय विज्ञान-तंत्रज्ञान मंत्री डॉ. जितेंद्र सिंग यांनी मुंबईत आयआयटीच्या कार्यक्रमात बोलताना, 'आयआयटीच्या नावातील बॉंबे तसंच ठेवलं त्याचं मुंबई केलं नाही, हे चांगलं झालं असं विधान केलं'. जितेंद्र सिंग यांचं विधान हे सरकारच्या मानसिकतेचं एक प्रतीक आहे असं स्पष्ट दिसतंय.
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) November 26, 2025
आणि…
"Our Marathi Mumbai remained in Maharashtra. Now, the bitterness that's been festering in their bellies for decades is starting to spill out once again," he said.
"People of Mumbai and all Marathi folks living in the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region should open their eyes now. The name "Mumbai" irks them (ruling dispensation) because it is named after Mumbadevi, the original goddess of Mumbai. her children are the Marathi people who have lived here for generations," he said.
The Central government tried to "wrest" Chandigarh from Punjab's control, but backed off after facing opposition from all other parties, he said, adding that retreat is temporary.
"Something similar is brewing in Mumbai's case. An attempt to quietly take control of the city is definitely underway. First Mumbai, and then the entire MMR region will be seized and linked to Gujarat. Marathi people should wake up," Thackeray said.
Meanwhile, responding to the minister's remarks, MNS leader Gajanan Kale told PTI, "BJP leaders never leave any opportunity to insult Marathi, Mumbai and Maharashtra".
Kale demanded that Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam and state minister Ashish Shelar should visit Bal Thackeray's memorial in Mumbai and apologise over Singh's remarks.
The city, also known as Bombay earlier, was officially renamed Mumbai in 1995 by the state government, to honour the local goddess Mumbadevi, after whom the city is named, and to shed the remnants of British colonial rule.
(With inputs from PTI)
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