'State not consulted over renaming of Bardhaman station': CM Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that she was not aware of the Union government's decision to rename Bardhaman railway station after revolutionary freedom fighter Batukeshwar Dutt.

Days after Union minister and BJP leader Nityanand Rai announced it in Patna, Mamata said, "The state government's proposal should be taken into consideration. This is BJP's proposal and I have no knowledge about it. They cannot change names without the state government's approval. This is very unfortunate."

On Saturday, Rai had visited a house in Patna where Dutt lived after Independence. Dutt, who was born in a Bardhaman village in West Bengal in 1910, had later made Patna his home.

"I have served as railway minister for two terms. As far as I know, the Centre must get the nod from the state government before changing the name of any station. There should not be mixing of the government with the party," Mamata added.

Dutt was associated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, which was headed by Chandrashekhar Azad. He had accompanied Bhagat Singh to the national assembly in Delhi where they courted arrest after throwing bombs and revolutionary pamphlets.

(With inputs from Indian Express)