BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni's Demand To Name Pune Railway Station After Bajirao Peshwa Draws Opposition
A controversy has erupted after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni demanded the renaming of Pune Station after Shrimant Thorle Bajirao Peshwa. She made the demand at a meeting of the Pune and Solapur division railway officials of Central Railway with public representatives.
Kulkarni said, "Be it a railway station or an airport, a city's history is attached to it. However, Pune railway station is the only one where there is nothing that reflects the city's rich history. Though Pune is the cultural capital of the state, no heritage glimpses are present at its railway station that can connect it to the city's history."
"Pune station should be named after Shrimant Thorle Bajirao Peshwa. The great warrior Bajirao fought a total of 42 major battles and won all of them with his unique war skills. With the inspiration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the beloved deity of our country, Bajirao made an invaluable contribution to expanding the Maratha Empire," she added.
However, her demand has met with opposition from several quarters, with many urging it be named after the reformist Phule couple instead.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Ankush Kakade said, "Pune has a rich history, and the city is well-known. The railway station's name should not be changed. If there is such a move, the Railway Ministry should rename it after reformists Jyotiba Phule or Gopal Krishna Gokhale."
Santosh Shinde of the Sambhaji Brigade said, "We will appeal to all political parties and social organisations to oppose the demand. Maharashtra has a tradition of spreading progressive thoughts, and if the government wants to change the name of the railway station, it should be renamed after Jyotiba Phule or Savitribai Phule."
AAP leader and social activist Vijay Kumbhar said, "The demand for changing the name is not only bad but also childish, costly and pointless. This idea is a creation of empty brains and a deliberate attempt to bring a pointless topic into public debate. There is no public interest in such a decision. Changing the signs, amending documents, maps, technical systems, and many government documents – this wastes crores of rupees. It also creates great confusion among passengers, especially tourists. Instead, it is necessary to focus on improving public transport, service facilities, cleanliness, security levels, and the overall development of the station. People will not get anything by changing the name – they want quality services."
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