Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, November 25, announced that the state government will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the education ministry seeking to change the name of IIT Bombay to IIT Mumbai. His statement comes amid a row over Union minister Jitendra Singh's remarks on the nomenclature of the premier institute.
While speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said, "First of all, everyone knows that BJP leader Ram Naik had made the biggest contribution in changing (the name of) Bombay to Mumbai. We always say Mumbai, and not Bombay. We have been consistently trying to ensure that 'Bombay' be replaced with Mumbai".
"I will write a letter to the Prime Minister and the HRD (Education) Minister to change the name of IIT Bombay to IIT Mumbai," he said.
What Did Jitendra Singh Say?
On Monday, the Minister of State for Science and Technology had said that thankfully, IIT Bombay's name is not been changed to Mumbai. This invited a sharp reaction from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who said the remarks show the government’s mindset.
"As far as IIT Bombay is concerned, thank God it still is this name. You have not changed it to Mumbai. So that's another compliment to you. And also true for Madras. It remains IIT Madras," Singh had said while addressing a function at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Raj Thackeray Slams Union Minister Jitendra Singh
Indicating that the Marathi identity will be the key agenda in the upcoming Mumbai civic body polls, Raj Thackeray Jitendra Singh's statement clearly appears to be a symbol of the government's mindset.
"And what is this mindset? Well, the plot to separate Mumbai—which has always belonged to the Marathi people—from Maharashtra was foiled by Marathi leaders and the public. And our Marathi Mumbai remained in Maharashtra. Now, the bitterness that's been festering in their bellies for decades is starting to spill out once again!," the MNS Chief said in his post on X.
When was Bombay renamed To Mumbai?
The city, earlier known as Bombay, was officially renamed Mumbai in 1995 by the state government, to honour the local goddess Mumbadevi, after whom the city is named, and to shed the remnants of British colonial rule.
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