Bengaluru, Feb 24 A delegation of Lingayat seers, ministers and MLAs met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday at his residence in Bengaluru, ahead of the state budget and presented a slew of demands to him.
The delegation emphasised that the government must allocate Rs 500 crore over the next five years to implement their demands, ensuring Basavanna’s legacy is preserved for future generations.
"This will be a historical initiative that will always be remembered," they added.
Before meeting the Chief Minister, religious leaders, ministers, and legislators from the Lingayat community had held a discussion at the official residence of Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil in Bengaluru.
Swamijis, legislators, former legislators, and key community leaders from across the state participated in the meeting.
Later, they submitted a memorandum to the CM at Kaveri, his official residence.
The delegation of seers presented a set of demands to the Chief Minister, including: A budget allocation of Rs 100 crore this year, with a total of Rs 500 crore over the next four years, to effectively spread the teachings of Vishwaguru Basaveshwara, who has been declared the cultural leader of Karnataka.
At the recent 13th Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Sammelana held in Chitradurga, seers, intellectuals, and thinkers stressed the need for the government to take significant steps to introduce Basavanna to the younger generation.
Following multiple discussions, a consolidated set of recommendations was compiled.
The delegation requested the CM to provide the necessary budget allocation this year to implement these initiatives.
The delegation demanded installation of a grand Basavanna statue on Bengaluru’s International Airport Road.
Other demands included; Establishment of a large-scale ‘Sharana Darshan’ centre on a 25-acre site in Bengaluru, modeled after Akshardham, featuring a park, library, guest house, community meal centre, and auditorium to develop it into a tourist attraction. Construction of ‘Basava Bhavans’ in all district headquarters and others.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the delegation that the government was fully committed to Basava’s philosophy, Vachana culture, and the struggle of the Sharanas.
He also promised that the demands of religious leaders would be implemented in a phased manner, based on feasibility.
"I took my oath as Chief Minister for the first time on Basava Jayanti. It was our Congress government that made it mandatory to display Basavanna’s portrait in government offices," he said.
He emphasised that Basavanna’s ideology and struggle support the creation of an egalitarian society.
"Casteist elite do not accept Basavanna’s ideals. Since they cannot oppose him openly, they resist his ideology internally," he remarked.
CM Siddaramaiah pointed out that the caste system is deeply rooted, and elite continue to nurture it. "Basavanna’s fight is essential for creating a casteless and equal society. Our caste system is stagnant, and a society with caste and economic stagnation cannot progress," he said.
He further added, "Basavanna’s ideas are aligned with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s thoughts, and both are embedded in our Constitution."
He also highlighted the government's commitment to reviving the Anubhava Mantapa, an ancient platform for democratic discourse.
"No one pressured us to take up this initiative. Our government voluntarily decided to revitalise Anubhava Mantapa, which was the first democratic forum in history," he said.
"It was the Congress government that declared Basavanna a cultural leader."
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