Bangalore: ‘Indira Believed in Empowerment of People’

The Hindu

Bangalore, Nov 1: The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday broke its tradition of holding important events at the headquarters, here by organising the death anniversary of the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at Yelahanka, on the outskirts, with a view to fanning out its activities through out the city and enthuse the party workers.

Lighting a lamp as a mark of respect to her, KPCC president R V Deshpande remembered the sacrifice and martyrdom of the late Congress leader. He said that all national events such as Independence Day, Republic Day, the birth and death anniversaries of the national figures, particularly the Congress leaders, would henceforth be organised at the block offices of the party in the Assembly constituencies.

Likening Indira Gandhi’s stature to that of Shakti, worshiped across the country, Mr. Deshpande said that it was only after she nationalised the 14 major banks that the fruits of development could reach the doors of the poor. During her tenure as Prime Minister, the poor got houses and sites, old age pension and widows got honorarium. The country became self-sufficient in foodgrain production. The former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh said that the then Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs, who understood what Indira Gandhi had envisioned, implemented the “Garibi Hatao” and land reforms. Mr. Singh had been part of the Urs cabinet.

KPCC working president D.K. Shivakumar, who was inducted into the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee by Indira Gandhi, said that this and her guidance in taking the party programmes to the people and goading the Government to implement them, had helped him in climbing to the present position in the party. He told the workers to serve the poor and build the party and bring it back to power.

D B Chandre Gowda, Motamma and Rani Satish, former ministers, and M. Ramachandrappa, general secretary, KPCC, participated in the programme.

Tributes

“Anti-social elements have been conducting destructive activities throughout the State. If Indira Gandhi was alive terrorism would not have grown to this extent in the country”, said Mr. Deshpande at a programme organised by the Bangalore City Youth Congress Committee, in front of Mahatma Gandhi bust on Race Course Road.