A fresh controversy has erupted in Karnataka after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the Shivaji Nagar Metro Station in Bengaluru may be renamed after St. Mary during the annual feast celebrations at St. Mary’s Basilica on September 8. The statement has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, Hindu groups, and citizens who see the move as blatant minority appeasement at the cost of Karnataka’s cultural icons.
As per Daijiworld, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar immediately backed Siddaramaiah, stating that the government would honor community requests. Local MLA Rizwan Arshad also endorsed the move, claiming that St. Mary’s Basilica is a 250-year-old landmark in the area and deserves recognition. He suggested renaming it as “Shivajinagar St. Mary’s Station.”
However, the decision has triggered widespread outrage. BJP leaders slammed the Congress government for insulting Hindu pride and sidelining great icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Shankar Nag. Chalwadi Narayan Swami, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, said, “The Congress government is continuing its tradition of appeasement politics. Instead of honoring Shivaji Maharaj, after whom the area itself is named, they are trying to erase history in the name of minority appeasement.”
The controversy has also crossed state boundaries. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reacted strongly, saying, “I pray to the Bhagwan to give some sense to Siddaramaiah. Since Nehru’s days, Congress has had a history of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Now, they are continuing the same.”
Meanwhile, citizens and cultural activists pointed out that the metro itself is a modern infrastructure project shaped by the vision of Kannada icon Shankar Nag, who dreamt of transforming Bengaluru into a global city. Despite his pioneering contribution, his name has not been honored anywhere in the metro network. Many feel that ignoring him while pushing for a religious name exposes the government’s biased priorities.
The Congress government has announced that it will forward the proposal to the Center for approval. But Hindu groups have vowed to resist the move, stressing that Shivaji Nagar carries the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and should not be diluted for vote-bank politics.
As the debate intensifies, this renaming attempt is being seen not just as a simple nomenclature issue but as part of a larger pattern where Congress governments in Karnataka are accused of sidelining Hindu icons to appease the Christian community.
Maharashtra reveres, Karnataka disrespects
In Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is revered as the very embodiment of pride, courage, and dharmic leadership. His legacy is safeguarded and celebrated at every level; forts associated with him are preserved as national treasures, his birth anniversary is marked with grandeur, and his statues stand tall in cities, towns, and even remote villages. The state government has taken initiatives like building the grand Shiv Smarak in Mumbai, and no political leader dares to belittle his memory. Across Maharashtra, Shivaji Maharaj is not just remembered as a Maratha warrior king but as a symbol of Bharat Mata’s defense against foreign aggression, making his name synonymous with respect and honor.
In sharp contrast, Karnataka has repeatedly failed to show the same reverence, despite Shivaji Nagar itself being named after him. The recent proposal by CM Siddaramaiah to rename Shivaji Nagar Metro Station after St. Mary is being seen as a direct insult to the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj. People point out that Congress governments in the state have a pattern of downplaying Hindu icons, be it neglecting to honor Shankar Nag, who envisioned the metro, or now attempting to erase Shivaji Maharaj’s presence from Bengaluru’s map. For many Kannadigas, this is not just a naming issue but an affront to Karnataka’s own connection with Shivaji Maharaj, who had a historic presence in upholding dharma in the southern forts and inspired resistance against tyranny across the region.
Soren cabinet erases Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name, renames clinic after Mother Teresa
Just as Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faced criticism for attempting to rename Shivaji Nagar Metro Station to St. Mary’s Metro Station, the Soren government in Jharkhand has sparked outrage by removing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name from the Atal Mohalla Clinic and renaming it the Mother Teresa Advanced Health Clinic. The BJP has strongly condemned this decision, calling it a deliberate insult to Vajpayee’s legacy.
As per Dainik Jagran reports, the cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on July 24, 2025, approved 21 proposals, including this one, which has triggered political uproar. The Atal Mohalla Clinic scheme, launched by former Chief Minister Raghuvar Das on Vajpayee’s first death anniversary in August 2019, provides free and primary healthcare to urban slums, with 140 clinics currently operational. Critics argue that removing Vajpayee’s name undermines the historical and social significance of the scheme and reflects an unnecessary political bias, while Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari defended it, citing Mother Teresa’s contribution to healthcare.
CM Siddaramaiah and his endless problems with Hindus
“What problem does Siddaramaiah have with Hindus? He calls Islam a peaceful community, appoints Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysore Dasara, and wears the Islamic topi at Eid Milad, but denies entry to temples, refuses prasada, and rejects wearing the kesari shawl or peta. He says being Hindu means aggression and destruction and even claims Dasara is not a Hindu festival. Under his government, stone-pelting incidents occur, DJs are banned in front of mosques, and restrictions on Hindu practices are rising. Where are we living? Has the Hindu faith lost all hope in Karnataka? Why are we being targeted through such dirty politics? This is yet another targeted assault on Hindus, where even Shivaji Maharaj’s name is proposed to be replaced with St. Mary for the metro station, a shameful act by the government.
