Karnataka set to establish military school in the name of Sangolli Rayanna
Bengaluru, Jan 26: The Karnataka government is all set to establish a military school in the name of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna at a cost of Rs 180 crore, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday.
Speaking after garlanding the statue of Rayanna on his 191st Remembrance Day here, he said, the state government has already released Rs 55 crore for the purpose, and the construction work of the school would be completed this year.
"Discussions are on with the Defence Ministry to adopt the school. Defence ministry is almost likely to convert it into a military school. Hostel and all the required facilities are coming up on a 100 acre land," he was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
Noting that work on developing his tomb at the spot where Rayanna, a 19th century icon who fought against the British, attained martyrdom at Nandagada ,would be taken up, the Chief Minister said approval has been given for developing a rock garden on a 10 acre land at his birth place Sangolli.
These memorials are being built to provide a glimpse into the life of Rayanna for the young generation, he said.
Bommai also said orders would be issued to have Rayanna's portrait displayed in all schools and colleges.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
