"Nothing Wrong In Renaming Karnataka As Basava Nadu": Minister

MB Patil's comments came days after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's proposal to rename Ramanagara district as 'Bengaluru South'.

Karnataka Minister MB Patil on Friday said there are demands to rename Vijayapura district after 12th-century social reformer Basaveshwara (Basavanna), and added that there is nothing wrong in renaming the entire state of Karnataka as 'Basava Nadu' (land of Basava).

The remarks of the state's Large and Medium Industries Minister came days after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's proposal to rename Ramanagara district as 'Bengaluru South'.

"During the 'Hoysala' period, the region was known as Vijayapura, later under Adil Shahi dynasty's rule, it became Bijapur. The name was changed back to Vijayapura. Now, many people have demanded that it be renamed as Basaveshwara district. It is natural as this district is the birthplace of Basavanna, and there is nothing wrong in it," Mr Patil, who represents the Bableshwar constituency in Vijayapura district, said.