Ashok Kamble, the president of Bhim Army in Maharashtra said that the organisation has given a deadline of January 1, 2018, to the state and Central government, to rename Dadar terminus to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Terminus.

Speaking to Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore, Kamble said that many Dalit organisations sent resolutions to the Railways Ministry for renaming the station but nothing came of it.

"We are now fed up of sending pleas and have decided to intensify our agitation,' Kamble said. "We have vowed to disturb any and every meeting of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held in Maharashtra if our demand is not met before January 1," he said.Dalits in Maharashtra celebrate January 1 as Vijay Diwas.

Explaining the significance of the day, Kamble said, "On January 1, 1818 only 800 jawans, mostly Mahars, of the British East India Company defeated a 28,000 strong army of the Peshwa Bajirao II on the banks of Bhima river at Koregaon Bhima, in Pune district."

January 1, next year will be the 200th year of this celebrated Battle of Koregaon, Kamble said.