Karnataka Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Days after Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar stirred a debate by pitching for Ramanagara to become Bengaluru South, his Cabinet colleague M B Patil on Friday made a case for Vijayapura to be named after 12th century social reformer Basavanna.
Patil, the industries minister, even said that there is nothing wrong with naming Karnataka as ‘Basava Nadu’ (Land of Basava). Patil represents the Bableshwar constituency in Vijayapura district, more than 500 km from Bengaluru.
“During the Hoysala period, the district was known as Vijayapura. Under the Adil Shahi dynasty, it became Bijapur. The name was changed back to Vijayapura. Now, many people have demanded that it be renamed as Basaveshwara district. It was this district that gave birth to Basavanna,” Patil explained.
Basavanna is best known as the founder of the Lingayat faith to which Patil belongs. Lingayats are a politically dominant community, especially in north Karnataka.
Patil said he would discuss renaming Vijayapura as Basaveshwara with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. “There are some technicalities. Bijapur became Vijayapura, and if it has to become Basaveshwara, there’ll be some inconvenience. It’ll require a change in nomenclature in a lot of places. There are these concerns. We’ll discuss the pros and cons with the CM and decide,” he said.
On naming Karnataka after Basavanna, Patil said: “What’s wrong? It was Basavanna who gave Anubhava Mantapa...the first Parliament of the world. We keep saying that our land should become Basava Nadu...that we must embrace Basava Samskruti.”
According to Patil, there are demands to declare Basavanna as Karnataka’s cultural icon or leader.
“There are also demands to name the entire metro rail network (in Bengaluru) after Basavanna. Likewise, the Vijayapura airport must be named after Basavanna,” Patil said.
Vijayapur was known as Bijapur up until 2014 when the union government approved changing the names of 12 cities in Karnataka, including its capital from Bangalore to Bengaluru.
Earlier this week, Shivakumar said he is planning to rename Ramanagara district as ‘Bengaluru South’.