Train Party Differences Arise Regarding the Rebranding of Sealdah Railway Station (BJP vs Trinamool)
In the bustling city of Kolkata, a political battle is heating up between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the renaming of Sealdah Station, one of the city's busiest railway stations.
The BJP, led by Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, has proposed renaming the station as Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Railway Station, honouring the political figure and founding member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. However, the TMC, through spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, has countered this proposal, suggesting instead that the station be named Swami Vivekananda Railway Station to honour the spiritual leader's historical connection to the area.
Ghosh emphasized Vivekananda’s strong historical ties with Sealdah, as it is the place where he returned from Chicago after his famous speech at the Parliament of the World's Religions and from where he was honoured by Kolkata’s youth. On the other hand, the BJP, focusing on Dr Mookerjee's political legacy, has stated that if the West Bengal government sends a proposal to the central government and Railways, they will work on renaming Sealdah Station after Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
This dispute is part of a larger political contest in West Bengal, with both parties attempting to appropriate Bengali icons to bolster their political appeal ahead of the 2026 elections. The TMC stresses cultural and historical legacy related to Swami Vivekananda’s local connection, while the BJP focuses on Dr Mookerjee’s political legacy.
| Party | Proposed Renaming Subject | Main Argument | |----------|--------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | BJP | Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee | Respect to political legacy; central government support if state proposes | | TMC | Swami Vivekananda | Historical and cultural ties to Sealdah; Kolkata Port already named after Mookerjee |
The controversy continues to evolve within the political landscape of West Bengal, with recent developments including a Delhi Police communique calling Bangla as "Bangladeshi Language" drawing flak from political parties and citizens of West Bengal. The renaming of Sealdah Station is being done to maintain mass appeal in West Bengal ahead of elections next year.
References:
- The Telegraph
- The Hindu
- NDTV
- The Times of India
- India Today
- The ongoing debate over the renaming of Sealdah Station in Kolkata involves policy-and-legislation discussions, as both BJP and TMC are competing to appeal to voters ahead of the 2026 elections.
- In the ongoing dispute over Sealdah Station's name, the TMC focuses on the spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda's historical connection to the area, which is a central point in general-news discussions, while the BJP emphasizes Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee's political legacy, which intersects with crime-and-justice discussions due to the political implications of the renaming proposal.
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