Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar on Wednesday claimed that he will ensure the merger of Ramanagara with Bengaluru district.
While addressing a gathering in Kanakapura, DK Shivakumar said, “You are not from Ramanagara district. You are from Bengaluru district. Let that sink in. What did I say? You are from Bengaluru district.”
“We are from Bengaluru. They have unnecessarily pushed us to Ramanagara district. Don’t listen to others. We belong to Bengaluru, not Ramanagara. Not even rural Bengaluru. I will do it,” he added.
A controversial issue surrounding the jurisdiction of Kanakapura has emerged following a heated verbal exchange between former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and DK Shivakumar.
The central bone of contention is whether Kanakapura should remain part of Ramanagara district or be integrated into the state capital, Bengaluru.
DK Shivakumar’s recent announcement that Kanakapura will be part of Bengaluru in the future has created a lot of buzz.
HD Kumaraswamy accused DK Shivakumar of orchestrating a plan to regularize alleged illegal activities around Kanakapura.
He questioned the ownership of properties in the area, the prevalence of benami transactions and the existence of illegal encroachments. Kumaraswamy vehemently refuted DK Shivakumar’s proposal to separate Kanakapura taluk from Ramanagara district and merge it with Bengaluru.
In his reply, DK Shivakuma today said, “I have issued an open challenge to HD Kumaraswamy. I was ready to debate with Kumaraswamy. I am also ready to debate with HD Kumaraswamy in the Assembly.”
The dispute over Kanakapura’s jurisdiction continues, with strong opinions on both sides over its potential impact on the region and its residents.
Kanakapura, about 55 km from Bengaluru, currently falls under Ramanagara district which was created in 2007 when HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) was chief minister. Before 2007, Kanakapura fell under the Bengaluru rural district.
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