BENGALURU: What is in a name? A lot for political parties of Karnataka. As the Kerala government has decided to change Kannada names of villages in Kasargod district with Malayalam-meaning ones, politicians across spectrum in Karnataka kicked up a row, saying that the move smacks of anti-Kannada sentiment.
BJP MP for Mysuru and Kodagu Pratap Simha flagged the issue, appealing to CM BS Yediyurappa to intervene and hold talks with his Kerala counterpart Pinarayai Vijayan to stop the move. "Karnataka should immediately oppose Kerala government's decision and hold talks against this anti- Kannada move," he said.
Names of some 10 villages in Manjeshwar of Kasargod district are being considered to be changed to Malayalam with the same meaning. JDS leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy appealed to the Kerala government to retain the original Kannada names of these villages.
"Before Kerala takes up the process, I want to bring certain issues to its notice. Kasaragod is a place that has close ties with Karnataka. We have a cultural bond with the people of Kasaragod," he said.
JDS is an alliance partner in the LDF government in Kerala. "Though Kannada names of villages are being changed into Malayalam, their meaning appears to have been retained. I request the Kerala government to retain the original Kannada names too," he added.