Plan to rename Hamidia hospital, college, and school triggers anger as critics accuse authorities of targeting Muslim heritage for political gain
BHOPAL — The Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s decision to rename three well-known institutions that bear the name of the last nawab of Bhopal, Sir Hamidullah Khan, has stirred a storm of criticism from Muslim leaders, historians, and the political opposition.
The institutions — Hamidia Hospital, Hamidia College, and Hamidia School — have been part of the city’s identity for decades. The proposal, first passed as a resolution in June, has now been sent to the Municipal Commissioner. The final call rests with the state government.
Kishan Suryavanshi, President of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, openly defended the move, telling The Indian Express: “We have been demanding this for the last two years and finally the time has come. These institutions are named after a person who did not want Bhopal to join India and he handed it over to the country only after a big movement. Why should such a person be honoured?”
The resolution has been met with fierce resistance. Shabsta Zaki, Leader of the Opposition in the corporation, called the move “politically motivated” and “legally baseless”.
“There was no proposal in the agenda, there was no discussion and they passed it secretly,” Zaki told reporters. “This is nothing but an attempt to erase the contributions of Muslims from Bhopal’s history. It has no legal standing and we have filed a complaint with the chief secretary.”
Zaki confirmed that a petition has been filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, accusing the corporation of acting without transparency or due process.
Hamidia Hospital, now a major multi-speciality institution linked to Gandhi Medical College, has a history deeply connected to the city’s growth. It began as the ‘Prince of Wales King Edward Memorial Hospital for Men’ with just 25 beds before 1927. Its original building later became the city’s kotwali (police headquarters).
Over the years, the hospital expanded and was relocated to Fatehgarh Fort. Under Nawabi rule, it grew into one of the region’s most important centres for public health.
Shah Nawaz Khan, historian and author of History of Bhopal State (1722–1949), has taken the matter to court, calling the decision a “clear attempt to distort history and insult the city’s Nawabi heritage”.
“Nawab Hamidullah joined India in 1949 and handed over more than 300 institutions built by his family to the country,” Shah Nawaz told the press. “He was known for his administrative skills and his progressive thinking. He established a girls’ school at a time when women’s education was rare. You cannot call him a traitor.”
The historian stressed that while the Nawab initially delayed signing the Instrument of Accession due to his belief in independence, “he eventually incorporated Bhopal into the Indian Union in the larger interest of the people”.
Community leaders allege that the move to rename these institutions is part of a wider trend of targeting Muslim contributions to India’s history. “Whenever they want to distract people from real issues like unemployment and inflation, they attack our heritage,” said a local Muslim activist. “They want to rewrite history to make it look like Muslims never contributed to India’s progress.”
For many in Bhopal, the Hamidia name is more than just a historical reference — it symbolises a legacy of service, education, and civic progress. As legal challenges mount, the state government will soon have to decide whether to preserve or erase that legacy.
