The Karnataka Cabinet on Friday decided to rename Ramanagara District as Bengaluru South despite stiff opposition from the BJP and JD(S).
Minister for Law, HK Patil, told the media after the Cabinet meeting, "Ramanagara District will be named as Bengaluru South District henceforth. It is because of the aspirations and representations made by people's representatives and also people at large."
When asked whether this was being done to benefit the real estate mafia, Minister Patil asked, "How will the real estate mafia step in here and benefit from it?"
Minister Patil explained, "It is being done to give it the advantage of the Bengaluru brand. Yes. Brand Bengaluru is a brand and you can't deny it. If it helps everyone it is fine."
When asked to comment on Union Minister, HD Kumaraswamy's statement that he will change the name again, Minister Patil stated, "We are in power. We are representatives of the people and we are responding to the aspirations of the people by renaming it."
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar had earlier asserted that the Ramanagara District would be renamed Bengaluru South despite criticism from the BJP and JD(S) as "we are originally from Bengaluru and it is our identity and pride. We must not lose it."
"Only the name of the district will change, but the name and administrative centre of Ramanagara will remain the same. Channapatna, Ramanagara, Kanakapura, Magadi, and Harohalli will be included to form Bengaluru South," he stated.
Karnataka BJP had stated that the government wanted to change the name as it has 'Ram' in it.
"They only want to change it as there is 'Ram' in the name of Ramanagar. Only the Congress government can do this. We cannot accept it," former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, CN Ashwath Narayan said.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, HD Kumaraswamy, had also questioned the "hidden agenda" behind changing the name.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy said that it was part of a "conspiracy to make the district a heaven for the real estate mafia. Appeasement of a few is another angle."
(With inputs from IANS)
