Congress condemns BJP's corporate branding of metro stations as 'profit-driven Hindutva'

Maharashtra Congress on Saturday sharply criticised the BJP, accusing the ruling party of transforming Hindutva into a 'corporate and profit-driven' ideology.

The Congress charged that BJP’s practice of renaming Mumbai Metro stations after corporate entities amounted to exploiting sacred names and revered national icons for commercial and political gains.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant highlighted several metro stations carrying names that combine heritage with corporate brands, such as Kotak Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, ICICI Lombard Siddhivinayak, HDFC Life Mahalaxmi, and Nippon India MF Acharya Atre.

He questioned the BJP’s commitment to honouring icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj if they approved prefixing their names with business brands.

Sawant demanded clear responses from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, as well as the BJP leadership regarding this practice.

He accused the BJP of diverting public attention from pressing issues such as unemployment, inflation, and farmers’ distress by focusing on name changes instead.

Babri judgment emboldened Hindutva groups to target mosques: Owaisi

Further, Sawant condemned the BJP for allegedly removing names of national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Sanjay Gandhi from public institutions, reflecting intolerance towards Congress icons.

He lamented how even religious and heritage sites have been 'auctioned' to corporate sponsors, reflecting hypocrisy in the BJP’s professed support of Sanatan Dharma.

The Congress leader warned against commerce overtaking culture and faith, cautioning that Maharashtra’s people would not accept the 'insult' of national and religious figures through such commercialisation.

He speculated that upcoming metro stations may also be renamed under similar corporate sponsorship deals, signalling a troubling trend in public space management.

This criticism highlights ongoing political tensions over cultural symbolism and governance priorities as Maharashtra navigates rapid urban development and corporate involvement in public infrastructure.

The debate raises important questions about preserving heritage amid commercial imperatives and political narratives.

With inputs from PTI

Hindutva Pop comes of age: the rising trend of hate music in India