In a move that has sparked widespread debate, the Indian Railways has officially renamed the Osmanabad railway station in Maharashtra to Dharashiv. While the government claims the renaming is a restoration of historical identity, many see it as part of a larger pattern of erasing names associated with Muslim heritage and furthering the agenda of polarization and saffronisation, reported the Madhyamam.
The renaming comes after the Maharashtra government earlier changed the name of the Osmanabad district to Dharashiv, citing ancient historical roots. However, critics argue that the name Osmanabad, linked to the last ruler of the Hyderabad state, Mir Osman Ali Khan, is being deliberately removed to erase Muslim contributions from public memory.
Local historians and social activists have expressed concern that such changes are not isolated, but part of a broader attempt to rewrite history along communal lines. The removal of Muslim names from cities, roads, and now railway stations reflects a growing trend that aligns with the ideological push for a singular cultural identity rooted in majoritarianism.
The new name boards at the station have already been installed in Marathi, Hindi, and English. Railway systems and digital records have also been updated, marking yet another step in the ongoing saffronisation of public institutions.
