Foundations laid for Kempegowda, Basaveshwara statues in front of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Foundation stones were laid on Friday for installing statues of Bengaluru founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda and 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara in front of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of Karnataka legislature and secretariat here.
The foundation stones were laid by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the presence of Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, several ministers and legislators.
Seers of several prominent maths like Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji of Suttur math, Vishwaprasanna Teertha of Pejavara math, Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji of Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana math, Siddalinga Mahaswami of Siddaganga math among others were present.
"After deciding in the Cabinet to install the statues of both these luminaries, the responsibility was given to Revenue Minister R Ashoka to oversee, today we have laid the foundation in the presence of several religious leaders.
"Our intention is that the administrative and spiritual thinking and values of these two personalities should flow across the state through this 'Shakti Soudha' (as Vidhana Soudha is also known)," Bommai said.
Their ideas should motivate those inside the Vidhana Soudha to build a "New Karnataka" which is the government's intention, he said adding that "the work will begin today and will be completed in one-and-half to two months, we will unveil it by inviting all."
A sum of Rs 8 crore had been released for the installation of the statues, official sources said.
The Chief Minister called the personalities as "great sons of the soil", highlighting that Basaveshwara, also known as Basavanna and a champion of social justice and welfare, was the first to start the "people's parliament system" in the world through 'Anubhava Mantapa', much before the Magna Carta, while Kempegowda who built Bengaluru is known for providing ideal administration.
The Magna Carta is a 13th century charter of rights drafted in Europe which is known as the fountainhead of modern constitutional rule of law and liberty.
The installation of statues of these two luminaries is also seen with political significance, ahead of assembly polls by May, as Basaveshwara and Kempegowda are highly revered, especially by Lingayats and Vokkaligas, the two numerically- and politically-dominant communities in the state, respectively.
While Lingayats form the ruling BJP's core vote base, Vokkaligas are dominant in the Old Mysuru region, where the saffron party is aiming to make inroads to gain absolute majority in the election.
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BJP has history of ‘contradictory alliances’, says BK Hariprasad
Bengaluru: Congress MLC B. K. Hariprasad has launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing the party of hypocrisy over its criticism of alliance politics in Tamil Nadu.
In a post on X on Friday, Hariprasad said BJP leader B. L. Santhosh criticising the Congress party’s alliance politics in Tamil Nadu was “not just laughable, but the height of political contradiction.”
He said the Congress has always joined hands with like-minded parties to protect secular and democratic values in the country.
Hariprasad questioned the BJP over several of its past and present alliances across the country. Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tripura, Bihar and Maharashtra, he accused the BJP of sharing power with parties it had earlier criticised.
He alleged that the BJP had aligned with separatist and corruption-linked political forces in different states for political gains.
“The BJP, which speaks against alliances today, should first look at its own political history,” he said, adding that the party’s record was full of “contradictions and changing stands.”
Hariprasad also accused the BJP of using central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and CBI as political tools to target opposition leaders, topple governments and influence electoral mandates.
He further claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu had strongly rejected the BJP and its ideology in the recent election.
“Congress forms alliances to protect the Constitution, secularism and national unity, while the BJP enters into alliances only for power,” he said.
