Raise Shivajinagar metro station naming issue with Centre: Siddaramaiah tells Maharashtra CM

Bengaluru, Sep 12 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asked his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis to take up with the central government any objections regarding the proposal to name the upcoming metro station near Shivajinagar in the city after St Mary.

The chief minister was responding to Fadnavis’ objection to the Karnataka government’s plan, which he termed “an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.” “Let him (Fadnavis) speak to the Government of India. We will send (recommendation on naming) to them (Centre); let him speak to them,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question.

Siddaramaiah’s positive response earlier this month to the proposal has elicited objections from some sections, including the opposition BJP, which has termed the move as appeasement.

Participating in the inauguration of the annual feast at St Mary’s Basilica on September 8, Siddaramaiah said his government would recommend the naming to the Centre. The metro station is part of the under-construction Pink Line in the city.

Reacting to Fadnavis’ remarks, state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday asked, “Why is Fadnavis interested in Karnataka and Bengaluru’s matter all of a sudden? I don’t know.” He added, “Decision regarding naming metro stations will be taken by the in-charge of Bengaluru development and Deputy Chief Minister (D K Shivakumar), as it is a matter related to Bengaluru.” Accusing the Congress government of “appeasement politics,” Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Thursday said the naming should not be based on religion and that his party would oppose it.

“Will they remove the name Shivajinagar? They should not go beyond the limits to please someone. Appeasement has become the first choice of the Congress party. Because of appeasement, the party has gone to the dogs now; still, they are doing appeasement politics. It will not work. We will not allow it,” the BJP leader told reporters.

There have also been objections on social media to the naming on religious grounds, with some demanding that metro stations should be named after the locality or notable personalities.

Some have suggested naming the station after the late Kannada actor Shankar Nag, who is credited with envisioning Bengaluru’s rapid transit system in the 1980s. PTI KSU SSK ROH