28.6.08

The Name Change Story

It looks like Bangalore will not become Bengaluru soon. The renaming of cities had not been approved by the previous cabinet. When it was to be done, the government fell. So the subject has to be taken up afresh by the BJP government.The state could have gone ahead on renaming the cities, excluding Belgaum. The Centre has not agreed to Belgaum as it is caught between Karnataka and Maharashtra border dispute. One of the guidelines for renaming places is the names should not hurt the people’s sentiments, have political overtones or be already in use in some other state.
Renaming of Bangalore and other cities was mooted in Dec 2005. In Nov 2006, the JD(S)-BJP government promised to get it done in 40 days flat. On August 20, 2007, former CM H D Kumaraswamy had announced that the
Union home ministry had sent him a letter giving the nod for renaming 12 cities, barring Belgaum, within a week. But the renaming did not happen as more clarifications were sought. Now, Bangalore has to wait for its rechristening.

Bangalore - Bengaluru
Mysore - Mysuru
Mangalore - Mangaluru
Belgaum - Belagavi
Gulbarga - Kalaburgi
Hubli - Hubballi
Shimoga - Shivamogga
Chikmagalur - Chikkamagalru
Bellary - Ballary
Bijapur - Vijapura
Hospet - Hosapete
Tumkur - Tumakuru
Kaup - Kapu

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