Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated a 116.7-ft. tall statue of the 12th century reformer Basaveshwara at Bishmakere tank here on Sunday.
The statue has been erected in the middle of the 103-acre tank. The State government has spent Rs. 7.64 crore on it. The works were started in 2009 and completed in 2015.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the values of secularism and equality propagated by Basavanna and other sharana’s of 12th century were well reflected in the Indian Constitution. “I took oath on the day of Basava Jayanti in May 2013. My government is trying to tread the path showed by Basavanna. Our focus is to eradicate social and economic inequality, which was the main reason for the continuation of the caste system,” he said.
Tontadarya Mutt seer Siddalinga Swami expressed displeasure over the government announcing a public holiday on Basava Jayanti and urged the Chief Minister to withdraw it.
The seer said having public holiday on Basava Jayanti was against the principles of Basavanna who had preached the Kayaka (work culture). He declared everyone including the God should work.
“How can we justify shunning work and enjoying a holiday on Basava Jayanti?,” he asked.
The seer pointed out that in a year, of the 365 days, nearly 100 days were being wasted as public and regular holidays. Wasting 100 days would certainly come in the way of the nation’s progress, the seer said.
Minister in-charge of the district H.K. Patil, Ministers T. B. Jayachandra and Mahadev Prasad were present.
