Amit Shah to inaugurate statue of Peshwa Bajirao I at Pune’s NDA today

Union home minister Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah, who is on a visit to Maharashtra’s Pune, will unveil an equestrian statue of Peshwa Bajirao I at the National Defence Academy (NDA) campus.

The unveiling ceremony of the 13.5-foot-tall, 4,000-kg bronze statue will be held at NDA’s Trishakti gate where the statue has been stationed. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, as well as the Peshwa’s family members are expected to attend the event.

Just a few days back, a political issue erupted in Pune over the request to rename Pune junction railway station after Peshwa Bajirao I. The demand was first raised by BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Medha Kulkarni.

She observed that while several Indian cities have railway stations and airports named to honour their historical legacy, Pune's station lacked this identity. She advocated for renaming it after Bajirao I, who had never lost a battle.

The demand made by Kulkarni soon escalated into a political controversy, with some Maratha outfits opposing it. A number of protesters gathered outside the Pune railway station, suggesting the station be renamed after Jijabai, the revered mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, or the prominent social reformer Jyotiba Phule.

When asked about Kulkarni’s demand, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar told Times of India, “I feel she is following her party seniors' instructions.”

In recent years, several names of cities and stations have been changed, such as Allahabad, which was changed to Prayagraj, and Mughalsarai station, which was renamed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction

During his Pune visit, Shah is also expected to attend several high-level meetings, public addresses, and organisational reviews across the state. He will also inaugurate the Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre.