Fadnavis Pushes for IIT Bombay to Be Renamed IIT Mumbai Amid Row Over City’s Name

Mumbai, Nov 2025 : Amid the intensifying debate over the city’s name, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday reaffirmed the BJP’s role in renaming Bombay as Mumbai and announced plans to request the Prime Minister to rename IIT Bombay as IIT Mumbai.

“The biggest contribution behind changing the name of Bombay to Mumbai belongs to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rambhau Naik. For us, it is not Bombay but Mumbai. The traces of Bombay should be erased, and Mumbai should be everywhere. I will personally write a letter to the Prime Minister and the Human Resource Minister requesting them to change the name of IIT Bombay to IIT Mumbai,” Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister’s remarks came after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray criticized Union Minister Jitendra Singh for his comment, “I thank God that IIT Bombay’s name was not changed to IIT Mumbai.” Fadnavis took a swipe at Raj Thackeray, saying, “Some people are not comfortable requesting that the name of the school where their children are taught be changed.” He suggested that Singh’s statement reflects a mindset that prefers retaining “Bombay” over “Mumbai.”

Raj Thackeray had earlier strongly criticized Singh. In a post on X, he alleged that there are ongoing attempts to undermine Marathi control over Mumbai. “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 has been festering in their bellies for decades is starting to spill out again,” he wrote.

Thackeray questioned Singh’s connection to Mumbai, Maharashtra, or Gujarat, pointing out that he hails from Jammu. “He aims to earn praise from the top leadership by reading their minds and speaking accordingly,” he claimed. He warned of gradual attempts to link Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to Gujarat, urging Marathi people to be vigilant.

Addressing the public, Thackeray said, “It’s time to open your eyes. The name ‘Mumbai’ irks them because it’s named after Mumbadevi, the original goddess of Mumbai. All her children are the Marathi people who have lived here for generations. You and your city grate on them.”

He also drew parallels with the Chandigarh controversy, asserting that the central government had attempted to wrest control of Chandigarh from Punjab but backed off due to all-party opposition. “A similar attempt is 100 percent brewing in Mumbai. They don’t want Mumbai; they want Bombay,” Thackeray said.

Highlighting a larger concern, Thackeray warned, “First Mumbai, and then the entire MMR region will be seized and linked to Gujarat. Central agents, industrialists, and others are gradually taking over everything here. It is high time the Marathi people realise this and take action.”

The controversy has once again spotlighted the symbolic and political importance of the city’s name. While Fadnavis emphasizes formal recognition of Mumbai through institutions like IIT, Thackeray frames the debate as part of a broader struggle to protect Marathi identity and influence in the city. The exchange underscores the sensitivities surrounding Mumbai’s history, culture, and governance, reflecting deeper regional and political tensions that continue to shape public discourse.