Maharashtra’s BJP-led government decision to rename the station, founded by Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan in 1900, as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar sparks criticism
NEW DELHI/AURANGABAD – Aurangabad railway station has come in for severe criticism, with some seeing it as part of a larger effort to alter India’s historical landscape.
The station, built in 1900 during the Nizam era, holds significant historical value and features architecture reflective of that period. Historians and locals have expressed concerns that the name change erases Muslim contributions to India’s history and cultural heritage.
A government notification officially named the building Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Railway Station. The century-old station, built during the reign of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, will now operate under the new code CPSN. The order stated that all railway communication and signage will henceforth bear the new name.
“This is not merely a change of name, it’s a change of narrative,” said Abdul Qadir, a historian from Aurangabad. “They want to erase every trace of Muslim contribution to India’s development. Aurangabad was named after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, but its history goes far beyond one ruler – it’s part of India’s composite culture.”
Aurangabad, founded in the 17th century by Mughal Governor Malik Ambar, flourished as a centre of trade, architecture, and learning. The city’s name symbolised its rich Islamic past. During the Nizam era, it became a key railway hub connecting the Deccan to the rest of India.
The Aurangabad railway station stands as a relic of that history. Its architecture and layout bear the imprint of the Nizam’s vision for modernising the Hyderabad State. “This railway station is more than a building,” said Saeed Ahmed, a retired railway engineer. “It represents the Nizam’s progressive policies that helped connect different communities. Renaming it is like renaming history itself.”
The renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar was first proposed decades ago by Bal Thackeray, founder of the Shiv Sena, but it remained controversial due to its communal overtones. The decision was finally implemented by the Eknath Shinde-led government in alliance with the BJP, which critics say is using historical revisionism to consolidate Hindu votes.
“Every time elections come, the BJP finds a new Muslim name to change,” remarked Asif Khan, a local social activist. “This is part of a larger agenda to portray Muslims as outsiders in their own land. Instead of addressing unemployment or inflation, they rename cities.”
This renaming is not an isolated incident. In recent years, several cities and landmarks with Muslim-linked names have been altered — Allahabad became Prayagraj, Faizabad became Ayodhya, and now Aurangabad joins the list. Many fear that Hyderabad, another historic city shaped by Muslim rulers, might soon face similar demands.
Academics warn that such moves distort India’s pluralistic history. “India’s strength lies in its diversity,” said Dr Farzana Begum, professor of history at Maulana Azad College. “When we erase Muslim contributions, we are not protecting Hindu pride — we are diminishing India’s shared identity.”
While right-wing groups celebrated the renaming as a tribute to Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Sambhaji, son of Shivaji Maharaj, many residents of Aurangabad expressed sadness and anger.
“For us, Aurangabad is not just a name — it’s an emotion, a heritage,” said Rizwan Shaikh, a shopkeeper near the old city. “Our ancestors lived here for centuries, built monuments, mosques, and temples side by side. Why erase that harmony?”
Hindu groups, however, have welcomed the change. A local BJP worker, Mahesh Patil, claimed, “It’s about correcting history and honouring Maratha pride. Aurangzeb symbolised oppression, while Sambhaji represents resistance.”
Aurangabad — or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, as the government insists on calling it — is home to the Ajanta and Ellora caves, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as the Bibi ka Maqbara, often referred to as the “Taj of the Deccan”. These monuments stand as living reminders of India’s intertwined Hindu-Muslim legacy.
“The irony is that while they change names, they still promote these monuments to attract tourists,” said Naseem Khan, a local guide. “The same history they want to erase becomes their source of income.”
The renaming of Aurangabad railway station is more than a bureaucratic formality — it is a reflection of India’s ongoing cultural and political struggle. For many Indian Muslims, it signals a shrinking space for their heritage and identity in a country that once prided itself on coexistence.
As Abdul Qadir aptly summed it up, “You can change names, but you cannot change history. The stones of Aurangabad still speak the language of the Nizam, the Mughal, and the people who built this land.”
