A fresh controversy has erupted in Karnataka over the proposal to rename Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar Metro station after St Mary, with strong reactions from the ruling Congress, opposition leaders, and public, and a sharp condemnation from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has termed it an insult to Maratha icon Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The renaming proposal
The naming row began when Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking during the annual feast at St Mary’s Basilica in Shivajinagar, assured Archbishop Peter Machado and churchgoers that his government would positively consider a proposal to name the upcoming metro station after St Mary.
This station, a part of Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line scheduled to be operational by 2026, holds strategic importance given its proximity to the historical Basilica and Shivajinagar bus depot. The local MLA Rizwan Arshad, along with Christian community leaders, formally submitted the naming request, which the Chief Minister promised to take forward to the Central government for approval.
Prior to the controversy, the metro station was to be officially known as Shivajinagar, named after one of Bengaluru’s oldest neighbourhoods and in honour of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
CM’s statement and political defence
During his public address at St Mary’s Basilica, Siddaramaiah emphasised the charitable and health-related significance of St Mary, referencing the deep faith many families have in the saint. He described the proposal as a gesture responding to local sentiment, reframing it as a move to honour the rich history surrounding the Basilica, not to erase the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar while talking to media, said, “There is nothing wrong with a request. We will take up a call on that.”
Opposition uproar
The proposal has triggered immediate and fierce opposition, especially from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and leaders in Maharashtra. Devendra Fadnavis vocally condemned the move, asserting, “I strongly condemn the Karnataka government’s move to rename Shivajinagar metro station after St Mary. It is an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Congress has continued its tradition of insulting the Maratha warrior king since Nehru’s time, with derogatory comments made against Shivaji Maharaj in his book ‘Discovery of India’,” Fadnavis said.
He accused the Karnataka government of appeasement politics and religious bias, urging Siddaramaiah not to proceed with a decision that could “hurt the pride and sentiments of millions who revere Shivaji”.
Beyond the legislative politics, the controversy sparked a cultural debate on social media and civic platforms. Many users demanded that the station honour Kannada actor and director Shankar Nag, celebrated for his visionary role in conceptualising the metro for Bengaluru in the 1980s. Others called for depoliticising the naming process altogether, expressing fatigue over the use of public landmarks as political battlegrounds.
Meanwhile, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has refrained from making official statements, with the final decision expected after Center’s approval and additional consultation.