Govt institutes two awards in socialist icon Shanthaveri Gopalagowda’s memory

NT Correspondent

The state government has decided to institute two awards for best legislator and best farmer which will be given once in a year in connection with the birth centenary of noted socialist leader and former MLA Shanthaveri Gopalagowda, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Speaking after the birth centenary event of Gopalagowda organised by the foundation here on Monday, the CM said the books written by Shanthaveri would be printed and distributed among all public libraries across the state. A title on land reforms in Shivamogga district would be brought out by the government as part of the birth centenary. Shanthaveri’s ideals were helpful in taking important decisions in administration and people must vow to uphold the values o f t h i s leader who sacrificed his life for a cause.

Bommai also recalled that his late father S.R. Bommai and Shanthaveri were contemporaries, like-minded and fighters to the core. Shanthaveri had his own personality and identity which attracted many like him. Shanthaveri would live among people as long as his ideals are a live i n society, he said.

Bommai also quoted Swami Vivekananda saying there was no death for a ‘sadhak’ and they would live even after their death. ‘’Though Shanthaveri Gopalagowda was not amidst us, his values, principles and ideology would always guide us,’’ he added.

Bommai also said that when the movement of the tillers wanted a strong leadership, it was provided by Shanthaveri when he was alive. He was inspired by great socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan since his childhood days and he started a revolution in Karnataka with the help of others. Shanthaveri’s father could not retain even three acres of land though his son fought for poor peasants. Such incidents moved him a lot, the CM noted.

State Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Cooperation Minister S.T. Somashekhar and others were present.