Siddaramaiah's Proposal To Name Bengaluru's Shivaji Nagar Metro Station After St Mary Sparks Row From Karnataka To Maharashtra

A controversy has erupted in Karnataka after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested naming a new metro station in Bengaluru’s Shivaji Nagar after St Mary. The move has triggered sharp political reactions, with the BJP alleging that the Congress government is disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for the sake of appeasement politics, NDTV reported.

Speaking at a recent event at St Mary’s Basilica in Shivaji Nagar, Siddaramaiah said he had proposed to the Centre that the upcoming station carry St Mary’s name.

The announcement was met with outrage from BJP leaders, particularly in Maharashtra, where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the Karnataka government's move to rename Shivaji Nagar metro station in Bengaluru after St Mary.

"It’s an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Congress has continued its tradition of insulting the Maratha warrior king since the time of Nehru, who made comments against Shivaji Maharaj in his book ‘Discovery of India’,” he said, adding that he prayed the “Almighty gives Siddaramaiah sense” to reconsider the proposal.

BJP’s Chalwadi Narayan Swami, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, also slammed the move, “Will they remove the name Shivaji Nagar? They should not go beyond the limits. Appeasement has become the first choice of the Congress party. Because of the appeasement, their party went to the dogs. Still, they are maintaining appeasement politics. We will not allow this.”

Maharashtra BJP MLC Chitra Wagh echoed the criticism, claiming that the Congress’s “hatred” of Shivaji Maharaj had been “exposed.” She asked, “Congress MLA Rizwan (Arshad) demanded that Bengaluru's Shivaji Nagar metro station be renamed after St Mary. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also sent a proposal to the central government for a name change. Will Maharashtra Congress clarify its position on this, or will it remain silent?”

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress’s ally in Maharashtra, said it would appeal to Siddaramaiah to reconsider. Party spokesperson Anand Dubey said, "Public sentiments should be respected. Politics should be avoided."

Targeting the BJP, he added, "The BJP has no moral right to talk about Shivaji Maharaj. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for a Shivaji statue in the Arabian Sea. There has been no progress since. The BJP should not stoke the fire. We will talk to our ally and find a solution.”