NCP wants Dadar railway station renamed

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of Maharashtra’s ruling Congress-led coalition, wants the city’s important Dadar railway junction to be renamed ‘Chaitya Bhoomi’ in memory of the late Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, a party official said on Monday.

Chaitya Bhoomi, barely two kilometres from Dadar railway station, is the place where Ambedkar was cremated on December 6, 1956. Later, converted into a national monument, lakhs of Dalits from all over the country converge here to pay homage to Ambedkar on his death anniversary.

The proposal is likely to be taken up as a resolution at the NCP’s Convention on Rights of Backward Class People scheduled on June 10 as part of the party’s 11th anniversary celebrations here, the official added.

State Congress president Manikrao Thackeray stated that the demand was originally raised by the Congress. “Originally it was the Congress’ demand. We had raised the issue a year ago, before anyone else,” he said.

Sena leader Gajanan Kirtikar said the party will not oppose the move to rename Dadar as Chaitya Bhoomi if such a proposal comes up.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray blasted NCP leaders, saying that they should stay away from such politics. “Changing the name does not provide additional facilities to the people or does not solve any problem. If the NCP is so bothered about Dr Ambedkar, then why can’t they demand his Ambedkar’s photo on Rs500 notes?” asked Thackeray, adding that his party will oppose any such move to change the name.