Belgaum becomes
Belagavi, as Centre clears name change plan
Despite the opposition
by Marathi-speaking people in Belgaum district of Karnataka, which shares its
border with Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday gave his
approval to change its name to Belagavi — as pronounced in Kannada.
The issue had been
hanging fire for the past eight years after the Karnataka government moved a
proposal to change Belgaum’s name as well as 11 other cities and towns in 2006.
Although the JD(S)-BJP
government in Karnataka had announced its intention to change the names of
these cities and towns, the previous UPA government at the Centre did not take
any decision.
Rajnath gave his
approval to the proposal of the Karnataka government made on October 27, 2006
to change the names of the 12 towns and cities in consonance with their
pronunciation in Kannada language. Karnataka and Maharashtra, where the
Assembly elections had just concluded, are locked in a boundary row over
Belgaum.
The state government
had taken the decision to rechristen these cities on the occasion of the golden
jubilee of formation of the state of Karnataka on November 1, 2006.
The other cities and
towns which will be known by new names are Mangalore (Mangaluru), Bellary
(Ballari), Bijapur (Vijapura), Chikmagalur (Chikkamagaluru), Gulbarga
(Kalaburagi), Mysore (Mysure), Hospet (Hosapete), Shimoga (Shivamogga), Hubli
(Hubballi) and Tumkur (Tumakuru).
- See more at:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/centre-clears-name-change-plan-belgaum-is-now-belagavi/