Bengaluru still has to wait

Bengaluru still has to wait
Wednesday October 24 2007 13:30 IST

Hemanth Kumar

BANGALORE: After Dasara festivities, the spirit of Karnataka Rajyotsava is in the air.

But for Kannadigas, the State’s formation day gift announced by former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy at the Suvarna Karnataka celebrations on Nov 1, 2006 to restore Bengaluru and 12 other towns to their original names, is still elusive.

Though Kumaraswamy can’t be blamed for the delay, the collapse of his government has almost dashed hopes of the dream being realised before Rajyotsava Day, just a week away.

The State Government’s decision to restore the original names of 13 towns and cities from their present anglicised versions is begging for a push in Union Home ministry and Governor’s rule in the State has dealt a huge blow to the effort.

Kannada and Culture Secretary I M Vittala Murthy told this website's newspaper, “We have succeeded in obtaining clearance from Railways, Geological Survey of India, Intelligence Department and a few other departments which was mandatory to change the names of 13 towns. The file is before Union Home Minister Shivaraj Patil and it is being held up due to reported objections from Maharashtra for renaming Belgaum as Belagavi.”

Murthy also said Kumaraswamy had, during his previous visit to Delhi, made a strong plea to Patil to clear the proposal.

“The entire list is pending just because of objections against Belgaum. The entire list has been placed as a single proposal.” With the State having no popular government, the proposal is unlikely to get the attention of Union Home Minister, says former minister for Kannada and Culture H S Mahadev Prasad.

However Murthy added that he would continue efforts in this regard and request MPs from Karnataka to draw the Centre’s attention to the proposal.