From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Feb 10: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah termed Raitha Sangha leader late Prof M D Nanjundaswamy and his struggle for the rights of farmers as his political inspiration and promised to amend the anti-farmer Land Reforms Act 2020 brought by the previous BJP regime in the State.

Speaking after inaugurating the farmers’ convention at the Freedom Park in the city to mark the 88th birth anniversary of Prof Nanjundaswamy, he said the government will seriously consider the charter of demands submitted by the farmers, including bringing a pro-farmer budget.

He said the veteran Raitha Sangha leader was active till the end and had inspired several people in socialist thought, ideology and the rights of farmers.

Several farmer leaders and Dalit leaders as well as Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa participated in the convention, which was presided over by Badagalapura Nagendra.

Reading habit essential for gaining knowledge

The Chief Minister later inaugurated the Book Fair organised by Veeraloka Prakashana and emphasised the need to cultivate reading habit as it was essential to gain knowledge.

Siddaramaiah called upon people to develop the habit of reading newspapers and books.

State Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatii, Transport Minister B Ramalinga Reddy, writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa and Congress leader V S Ugrappa were present.

Kengal was able administrator

Earlier, the Chief Minister paid homage to former Chief Minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah on his birthday by garlanding his statue near Vidhana Soudha.

Siddaramaiah described Kengal Hanumanthaiah as an able administrator, who had ruled Karnataka as Chief Minister very efficiently.

The Chief Minister said Kengal Hanumanthaiah’s administration is a model for all leaders and hailed his dictum of ‘government’s work is God’s work’, which implied serving people is like serving god. Even though he hailed from Ramanagara and belonged to Old Mysore region, he had the vision to work and strive for unified Karnataka, he said.