The head of the Bhalki Hiremath and president of the Anubhav Mantap Basavalinga Pattadevaru has urged the State government for the official recognition of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara as the cultural leader of Karnataka.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of 44th Sharana Kammata and Anubhav Mantap Utsav at Basavakalyan taluk in Bidar district on Saturday. Sri Basavalinga Pattadevaru made a fervent appeal to the State government for declaring Basaveshwara as Cultural leader of Karnataka, and also to set up a Vachana University in Basavakalyan taluk.
Sri Pattadevaru said that the social reformers who rendered exemplary service in their respective states have been declared as cultural leaders. Basaveshwar too had fought for equality, fraternity and social justice, and had strived for a casteless society. “We have Karnataka Folklore University and Sanskrit University in the State; establishing Vachana University at Basavakalyana will help to take up more research works of Vachanas of the Sharanas and his contemporaries.
Basavaraj Horatti, chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council, urged the Centre that an international airport should be named after Basaveshwara. The religious heads of various mutts present on the stage too expressed their solidarity for the demand.
Minister for Ecology, Environment and Forests Eshwar Khandre assured that he would discuss with the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Cabinet colleagues the recognition of Basaveshwara as cultural leader of the State and also naming an international airport after Basaveshwara.
Justice Shivaraj V. Patil, will be conferred the Dr. Channabasva Pattadevaru Anubhav Mantap Prashasthi in recognition of his contribution to society. The award carries a cash prize of ₹1 lakh and a citation.
The trust will confer the Dr.M.M. Kalburgi National Research Award on B.V. Shiroor from Hubballi for his extensive research works on Vachanas. The award carried a cash prize of ₹50,000 and a citation.
