Habibganj Railway station will now be renamed after tribal queen Rani Kamlapati

BHOPAL: The railway station renaming spree of Uttar Pradesh has now reached another BJP ruled state, the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has written to the union home secretary, recommending to rename MP capital’s Habibganj railway station after Rani Kamlapati — the last Gond (Hindu) queen of Bhopal.

Importantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on November 15, unveil the totally revamped world class Habibganj railway station (first railway station to have been modernised on PPP model at Rs 100 crore cost).

The state government sent to the union home secretary a proposal on Friday for renaming the Habiganj railway station after the Gond Queen. “Bhopal was ruled by Gond rulers in the 16th century and to keep intact the memory of Gond Queen Rani Kamalapati, it’s recommended to rename Habibganj railway station after Rani Kamlapati,” the recommendation sent by state transport department to the union home ministry read on Friday.

Importantly, the union cabinet had on Tuesday decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of the country’s freedom struggle tribal icon Birsa Munda nationally as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

The PM, besides unveiling the new look world class Habibganj railway station, will also grace the main event of the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas at Bhopal’s Jamboree Maidan on Monday (November 15).

The ruling BJP, on expected lines, welcomed the state government’s Friday evening move to recommend the renaming of Habibganj railway station after the Gond tribe queen.

“The state government’s recommendation to the centre to rename Habibganj railway station after Rani Kamlapati on the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas is a welcome move. She was not just a Gond Queen, but was respected by all sections of the society. If the opposition Congress opposes it, then people should oppose the Congress,” state BJP secretary Rajneesh Agrawal tweeted.