Bengaluru metro to 'Basava Metro': CM Siddaramaiah’s renaming proposal receives mixed reactions

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently announced his plan to approach the Centre to rename the Bengaluru metro to Basava Metro. The move aims to honour the 12th-century social reformer Basaveshwara who was known for promoting equality and inclusivity.

The announcement has sparked debate online. Metrolife asked prominent Bengalureans for their views on the proposal.

‘Name is already inclusive’

Writer and ‘Mundhe Banni’ podcast founder Vasant Shetty sees no need for a name change — ‘Namma Metro’, he says, is “beautiful and inclusive”.

Kannada lecturer and Dalit activist Hulikunte Murthy is also sceptical. “‘Namma’ includes everyone. Renaming it could prompt other communities in Karnataka to seek similar recognition for figures like Kanakadasa, Valmiki or Kempegowda,” he notes.

Purushotham Bilimale, chairman of the Karnataka Development Authority and a Basava follower, says renaming public projects sets a risky precedent. “If one government names the metro after a historical figure, another could rename it tomorrow. It becomes a political exercise rather than a move in public interest,” he explains.

Activist Tara Krishnaswamy calls the proposal a symbolic gesture often practised by politicians. “While some of us are emotionally attached to ‘Namma Metro’, such name changes are common in India to honour local icons. It may cause some disappointment, but in the long run, it won’t affect the metro’s functioning or importance,” she says.

Advocate and public transport enthusiast Vinay Sreenivasa concurs that the change “will have little real impact.” He believes the government should instead focus on spreading Basaveshwara’s vachanas and values. “We should work to eradicate casteism and ensure everyone’s welfare,” he says.

According to Sreenivasa, the true way to honour Basava is to expand public transport and make it more accessible. “Right now, the metro is not affordable for the poor or marginalised because fares are high,” he adds.

‘Metro should embody Basava’s values’

However, writer and activist Du Saraswati “sees no problem with the proposal.” She calls Basaveshwara’s 12th-century movement as a revolutionary blend of spirituality and social justice that gave the working class a voice. “For the first time, people from lower and working castes, cobblers, blacksmiths, and weavers, were recognised as thinkers and poets. That inclusiveness is something we can be proud of,” she says. If Basava Metro embodies his spirit of equality and inclusiveness, Saraswati adds, it would be a meaningful tribute.