Archive · 14 Jan 2026
Karnataka Stadium Renaming Sparks Political Row
There's a big argument in Karnataka, India.
A sports building next to a stadium named after Mahatma Gandhi is now also named after a minister, G Parameshwara.
The BJP party says this is wrong and that Gandhi's name is being taken away.
They even protested and some people were detained.
But the minister says this is not true and the BJP is making a big deal out of nothing.
The building is just a small sports complex, he says.
The BJP says the Congress is being unfair because they oppose the national government removing Gandhi's name from a scheme but are okay with removing it locally.
The Congress says they are not removing Gandhi's name and the BJP is just causing trouble.
An indoor sports complex near Tumakuru's Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium was named after Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara.
BJP workers protested, alleging that Gandhi's name was being removed, leading to the detention of around 30 people.
Parameshwara dismissed the allegations as baseless, stating that the complex is just a small shed.
The protest was led by BJP MLAs B Suresh Gowda and G B Jyoti Ganesh.
The controversy erupted on Monday evening, with the state-level Olympic Games scheduled to be held at the same sports complex from January 16.
- Who
- Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara and BJP workers
- What
- Controversy over renaming a sports complex after Parameshwara
- When
- Monday evening
- Where
- Tumakuru, Karnataka
- Why
- BJP alleges Gandhi's name is being removed, Parameshwara denies
BJP
Congress
Naming of the Stadium
BJP
The BJP alleges that the renaming of the stadium is an attempt to remove Mahatma Gandhi's name and shows double standards by the Congress government, especially given their opposition to the Union government's move to drop Gandhi's name from the MGNREGA scheme.
Congress
The Congress denies any attempt to remove Mahatma Gandhi's name, stating that the structure in question is a shed converted into an indoor stadium and that the request to name it after Parameshwara was made separately.
Protest and Detention
BJP
The BJP led a protest against the renaming, alleging disrespect to Mahatma Gandhi, and demanded that the name board be removed. They claim the renaming was done without a formal resolution or approval.
Congress
The Congress, through Parameshwara, dismissed the allegations as baseless and accused the BJP of politicizing the issue unnecessarily. Parameshwara stated that the protest was an overreaction to a minor facility.
- Location
- Tumakuru, Karnataka
- Controversial Action
- Naming sports complex after G Parameshwara
- Protest Leaders
- BJP MLAs B Suresh Gowda and G B Jyoti Ganesh
- Protest Date
- Monday evening
- Number of Detainees
- 30
- Cost of Stadium
- Rs 60 crore
- Event Scheduled
- State-level Olympic Games (January 16)
