BJP MP Medha Kulkarni demands Pune railway station be named after warrior Bajirao Peshwa
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni has proposed to rename Pune Railway Station after Thorle Bajirao Peshwa, one of the celebrated warriors in Maratha history. She raised the demand during a meeting of the Pune and Solapur railway division officers held in Pune on Monday.
'All over India, places from airports to railway stations and roads- are being renamed after historical figures. Similarly, renaming the Pune railway station after Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa will ignite the pride of Maratha heritage in Maharashtra,' she told The Indian Express on Tuesday.
Also known as Bajirao I, Thorle Bajirao Peshwa was appointed the 'peshwa' or chief minister of the Maratha confederacy from 1720 to 1740 during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu.
According to her, a formal proposal for the renaming of the railway station has already been submitted to the Maharashtra government.
Kulkarni emphasised that the objective behind such renaming efforts is to reflect the local history of the area. She pointed to previous examples, including the renaming of Pune University to Savitribai Phule Pune University and Pune International Airport being renamed to Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport. 'Just like that, the Pune railway station is to be named after Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa, who has been a crucial part of Maratha history,' she added.
The MP also mentioned that various local associations and trusts have expressed their support for the proposal. 'A lot of Sanstha (associations) and Pratishthan (establishments) have sent me letters about the renaming. Recently, when the Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited, such letters were also sent to him. In this review meeting, I proposed it finally for the people,' Kulkarni said.
Highlighting the absence of any major public space named after Thorle Bajirao Peshwa, Kulkarni said, 'It is the demand of the people not only in Pune but across Maharashtra. There is not a single place that is named after Thorle Bajirao Peshwa.'
However, RTI and anti-corruption activist Vijay Kumbhar has opposed the proposal, questioning the practical benefit of such a move. 'I would like to ask if people are really getting any help from this? Are the people of Maharashtra benefiting from it? Are any 'sevas' being provided to the poor?' Kumbhar told The Indian Express.
He stressed that his objection was not about the name or the legacy of Bajirao Peshwa, but the priorities. 'If the Pune station already has a name, then why change it? I have immense admiration for Thorle Bajirao Peshwa and other warriors. But instead of renaming, why not allocate funds to create something new in their names, like institutions or help centers that can serve the people?'
He questioned the logic behind the repeated renaming of public places, and called it a mere 'publicity stunt.' 'Would the railway system go through better changes after the renaming? If you ask me, I would say no. So what's the use? Rather than changing names, the focus should be on benefiting people,' he said.
(Aryesh Chakraborty is an intern with The Indian Express)
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