The Railway Board on Friday renamed Tipu Express, which connects Mysuru with Bengaluru, as Wodeyar Express in a move that is certain to stir up controversy. Following a complaint made by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in July of this year, the Railways implemented the adjustment on Friday. Simha had also asked that the state poet Kuvempu be honoured by having the express service between Mysuru and Talaguppe bear his name. Both recommendations were adopted by the Railways, and the orders will take effect on Saturday.
Launched in 1980, Tipu Express is a superfast train connecting Mysuru and Bengaluru. The train covers a distance of 139 km in a little over three hours on a single-line metre gauge track. The move to replace the Muslim king`s name with a Hindu dynasty`s name has come for criticism from some quarters who see it as furthering the ruling BJP`s saffronisation agenda.
However, in his plea to the Railway Minister, Simha has justified his request on the grounds that the Wodeyars had contributed immensely to the railway infrastructure in their realm. While the Wodeyars were the Hindu rulers of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom in present-day Karnataka, Tipu Sultan was the Muslim ruler of Srirangapattana, who died fighting the British.
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With inputs from IANS
