‘Ramanagara will revert to its original name by 2028’

Bengaluru: State Cabinet yesterday approved renaming the Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South. The renaming has gained political colour with JD(S) opposing the move.

“We have decided to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South. It is based on the demand of the people there. The Revenue Department will start the process,” State Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. “Only the name of the district will change, remaining all will remain the same,” he added.

Earlier this month, a delegation led by Dy.CM D.K. Shivakumar submitted a proposal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to rename Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South. Ramanagara district has five taluks — Ramanagara, Channapatna, Magadi, Kanakapura and Harohalli. Renaming Ramanagara as Bengaluru South district will help the taluks benefit from the international reputation enjoyed by Bengaluru, Shivakumar said in the memorandum.

‘Hatred towards Lord Ram’

The proposal, which came ahead of the Channapatna by-polls, had ruffled the feathers of the BJP-JD(S) combine whose erstwhile coalition Govt., led by the then CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, had carved out the district in 2007.

Taking exception to renaming Ramanagara district, the BJP had alleged that the “design of the Congress Government smacks of hatred towards Lord Rama and the lure of real estate.”

Union Minister Kumaraswamy vowed that the district will revert to its original name by 2028. He stated, “It is not possible to remove the name of Ram. By 2028, it will again be called Ramanagara. Let them be happy for a few days. Their political downfall has begun. Who had applied to change the district’s name? What will be achieved by changing the name?”