Shiv Sena UBT questions Maharashtra Minister’s call to drop ‘King Edward’ from KEM Hospital name

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday (January 25, 2026) questioned Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha’s demand to remove “King Edward” from the name of Mumbai’s KEM Hospital, pointing out that a building developed by Mr. Lodha’s gruop is named Lodha Trump Tower in Worli.

KEM Hospital is a globally renowned public hospital in Mumbai.

Questioning Mr. Lodha’s stand on foreign names, Mr. Raut said the Minister had described “King Edward” as a symbol of British colonial rule and slavery, while his own Lodha Group had built and marketed Lodha Trump Tower in Worli, named after U.S. President Donald Trump. In a post on X, Mr. Raut asked, “If foreign or colonial names are the issue, shouldn’t ‘Trump’ be removed, too? Consistency, anyone?”

Mr. Raut’s statement came after Mr. Lodha, speaking at the centenary celebrations of the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, called for the removal of “King Edward” from the name of the hospital, describing it as a symbol of slavery. Mr. Lodha said, “King Edward has nothing to do with us. The municipality should consider dropping the name as it is not Indian; it is a British name that signifies slavery.” He pointed out that Amrit Mahotsav, marking India’s independence had passed, but colonial footprints remained.

Nationalist Congress Party MP Amol Kolhe also criticised Mr. Lodha and said, “His project names are Lodha Belmondo, Lodha Palagio, Alta Mount, Casa Bella, and Trump Towers. Why did he never name his projects based on local names like Ramkutir, Sita Sadan, and Lakshmi Niwas? General patients don’t even know the name. They call it KEM Hospital. This is a brand.”