Mumbai, Nov 26 (NationPress) In the ongoing debate surrounding the namesake of the city, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) played a significant part in the transition from Bombay to Mumbai. He stated his intention to appeal to the Prime Minister to officially change the name of IIT Bombay to IIT Mumbai.

“The most substantial contribution to the renaming from Bombay to Mumbai can be attributed to BJP leader Rambhau Naik. For us, it is not Bombay but Mumbai. The remnants of Bombay should be eradicated, and Mumbai should be prominent everywhere. I will personally compose a letter to the Prime Minister and the Human Resource Minister urging them to adopt the name IIT Mumbai,” the Chief Minister stated.

His comments followed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's criticism of Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who had expressed gratitude that the name of IIT Bombay remained unchanged.

According to Thackeray, this reflects the government's attitude.

“Some individuals are uncomfortable requesting a name change for the institution where their children are educated,” Fadnavis remarked, taking a jab at Thackeray.

Previously, Thackeray had harshly criticized Union Minister Singh.

In a post on X, he remarked, “What is this mindset? The attempts to detach Mumbai—historically a Marathi stronghold—from Maharashtra were thwarted by Marathi leaders and the public. Our Marathi Mumbai has remained a part of Maharashtra. The resentment that has been brewing for years is beginning to surface once again,” he wrote in his pointed remarks on X.

He suggested that the government seems uneasy with the name 'Mumbai' and favors 'Bombay' instead.

“In reality, Jitendra Singh has no connection to Mumbai, Maharashtra, nor Gujarat. He comes from Jammu... Yet, he seeks to gain favor with the higher-ups by echoing their sentiments,” he commented.

Thackeray alleged that there are ongoing efforts to gradually associate Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) with Gujarat, urging the Marathi populace to remain vigilant.

“I urge not just the residents of Mumbai but all Marathi individuals in the MMR region: It’s time to awaken. The name ‘Mumbai’ disturbs them because it is derived from Mumbadevi, the original goddess of Mumbai, representing our heritage. All her children are the Marathi individuals who have resided here for generations. You and your city are a cause for concern for them,” Thackeray stated.

“Today, the central government attempted to wrest control of Chandigarh from Punjab but faced significant pushback, leading to their retreat, which is merely temporary. A similar plot is undoubtedly brewing concerning Mumbai. They do not want Mumbai; they want Bombay,” he remarked.

He also noted that a covert operation to take control of the city is indeed in progress.

“First Mumbai, and then the entire MMR region will be seized and linked to Gujarat! It’s time for the Marathi community to realize this. Daily, we witness how central agents and industrialists are beginning to dominate everything here! The Marathi populace must become aware of this,” he concluded.