Karnataka's Renaming Spree: Bengaluru South and North Spark Outrage
The Karnataka cabinet recently approved a controversial proposal to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South District. In addition to this, Home Minister G Parameshwara hinted at the possibility of renaming Tumakuru as Bengaluru North, sparking fears of a larger plan to rebrand districts around Bengaluru under the city’s identity.
This decision has triggered a wave of criticism online, with citizens accusing the state of indulging in politically motivated rebranding driven by real estate interests. The renaming has been met with sarcasm, ridicule, and anger on social media. Many users questioned the logic behind the move, pointing out the lack of geographic accuracy and the erasure of existing regional identities.
One user wrote, “Why stop at Tumakuru? Rename Karnataka as Bengaluru State until the real estate greed of our politicians is satisfied.” Another user remarked sarcastically, “Mangalore should be Bengaluru Coastal,” pointing to the absurdity of the trend. Echoing the sentiment, a different commenter wrote, “Mysuru can be Old Bengaluru.” Taking the satire further, another reaction read, “It won’t stop until they rename Bidar as Bengaluru Extreme North!”
Several users emphasized the disconnection between the new names and the actual sentiments of the people living in these districts. “Tumakuru and Ramanagara are such nice names. The people here don’t even identify with Bengaluru. This makes no sense unless there’s a plan to turn everything into Greater Bengaluru like NCR.”
The move has reignited long-standing concerns about regional imbalance in development across Karnataka, with critics accusing the government of prioritizing Bengaluru’s expansion at the cost of nurturing other cities. While the government is yet to make any formal announcements about Tumakuru or other districts, the backlash suggests that any further moves in this direction will face increasing public resistance.
The renaming controversy also highlights the broader issue of urban sprawl and the impact it has on smaller towns and regions. Critics argue that instead of expanding Bengaluru’s boundaries, the focus should be on developing other cities and towns in Karnataka to ensure balanced regional development and reduce the pressure on Bengaluru’s already strained infrastructure.
