Why is Bangalore's original tech-hub being named after a tiny village? It's communal, say local leaders
Why is Bangalore's original tech-hub being named after a tiny village? It's communal, say local leaders
THE naming row over the Whitefield municipal ward has taken a new turn, with local leaders threatening to take to the streets in protest.
MiD DAY had earlier reported how residents of Whitefield were up in arms over the government's decision to name Ward No 84 after a small hamlet. The controversy started when the area under the new Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was divided into 198 wards as part of the delimitation exercise, and the newly-formed ward was named after Hadaguru.
But local leaders fighting against the name change have threatened to picket the BBMP office if the decision is not reversed.
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The BJP named the ward after the village to gain political mileage, by claiming that the old Sri Rama temple in the village was the centre-point of the ward, allege local Congress leaders. Since it falls under a newly-created ward, the IT hub of Whitefield which houses the offices of IT behemoths including IBM, SAP Labs and Dell, has lost its global identity thanks to the new name, they said.
"Whitefield is the geographical centre of the ward. It also has a far higher population than Hagaduru's 500 residents," said Nagesh, former vice-president of Mahadevapura City Municipal Council. "The BJP is trying to create a communal divide by mixing religion with politics."
According to Nagesh, the entire area was recognised by the name Whitefield, and the new name would create confusion among residents and foreign visitors. He also pointed out that the police station, railway station, post office, BBMP sub-division and sub-registrar office all go under the name of Whitefield. "If the ward alone is called Hagaduru, won't it be ridiculous?" he asked.
'Symbol of culture'
Aravinda Limbavali, higher education minister representing Mahadevapura which covers the area, said: "Whitefield is already a global brand name. Then, what is the harm in naming the ward after a village that has heritage value?"
However, he was quick to distance himself from the matter, saying it was something for the city administration and Election Commission to worry about.
u00a0A BJP leader close to Limbavali said that while Whitefield represented the global face of India, Hagaduru stood as a symbol of Indian culture, and the name of the ward was justified.
G N Nayak, deputy commissioner, Bangalore (Urban), told MiD DAY: "We have received representations from both sides. We will prepare a report before sending it to the urban development department where the final decision is taken."
He said the process would be completed in a few days and that there were no political compulsions in naming the ward.
ITPB
The International Tech Park Bangalore (ITPB) the star attraction in Whitefield falls in Hagaduru, but a portion of it comes under the neighbouring ward, which too has its share of naming woes. After the delimitation, the authorities decided to call it Ayyappa Nagar, since there is an Ayyappa temple located there.
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"When the entire area is known as ITPB, they have named the ward Ayyappa Nagar just because there is a temple there. This shows how mindless the government is," said Vidhu Mehta, who works in IBM.
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