Siddaramaiah’s Move To Rename Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar Metro Station As St Mary Sparks Political Row

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has stirred controversy with his announcement that the upcoming metro station in Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar could be named after St Mary. He revealed at an event in St Mary’s Basilica that a recommendation had been sent to the Centre for approval.

The proposal drew sharp criticism from the BJP, with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis condemning it as an “insult” to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Fadnavis accused Congress of continuing its tradition of disrespecting the Maratha ruler since Jawaharlal Nehru’s remarks in Discovery of India. He urged Siddaramaiah to drop the idea, calling it a religiously motivated move.

Maharashtra BJP leader Chitra Wagh alleged that Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad had demanded the renaming and claimed Siddaramaiah acted on it by formally sending the proposal to the Centre. She also called on Maharashtra Congress to clarify its stance.

Karnataka BJP’s Chalwadi Narayan Swami echoed the criticism, warning against attempts to erase Shivajinagar’s name and accusing Congress of prioritizing appeasement politics despite electoral setbacks.

The row has intensified political tensions, with BJP leaders across Karnataka and Maharashtra uniting in opposition to the proposed renaming.