Basaveswara statue to be installed soon: Harish

Siddipet: The Basaveswara jayanthi is being celebrated officially only after the formation of Telangana, said Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao here on Sunday. He alleged that the previous Congress and TDP governments had ignored Basaveswara.

Participating in the Veerashaiva Balija Mahasabha, along with MP B B Patil, Rao praised Basaveswara for fighting way back in 12th century against sexual discrimination and having taught how to struggle after realising there will be future only if one works hard.

The minister stated that in those days the great Basaveswara ensured formation of a Parliament to pave the way for people’s rule. ‘He went to Basavakalyan in Karnataka to closely observe and learn administration, thought process and how to realise aspirations’, he observed.

Rao recalled that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, soon after being officially told about celebrating Basaveswara jayanthi officially, had immediately agreed. Since then the celebrations were being held officially.

He praised KCR for the installation of Basaveswara statue on the Tank Bund, allocation of one acre in the city worth Rs.20 crore to the Veershaiva community, besides releasing Rs.10 crore for the construction of its bhavan. ‘The CM also provided funds for Basava marriage halls in Narayankhed and Zaheerabad and sanctioned one acre for construction of a bhavan in Sangareddy district.

The minister stated that a statue of Basaveswara was being installed on the Zaheeravad-Mumbai highway at a cost of Rs.1 crore. Soon it would be installed. He praised KCR ‘as a person who always thinks about the poor irrespective of castes and religion. With the blessings of people and their support Siddipet is being developed in all sectors’, Rao noted.