CM K Chandrasekhar Rao sanctioned one acre of land for Basava Bhavan
Hyderabad: Continuing to shower sops on communities, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday sanctioned one acre of land and Rs 5 crore to the Veerashaiva Lingayat community to build a Basaveshwara Bhavan in Hyderabad.
The Chief Minister also promised that a statue of Basaveshwara would be installed in a prominent locality in the heart of the city. The Basava Purna written by Adikavi Palakurki Somanatha and Basava philosophy would be included in educational books, he said.
Mr Rao was the chief guest at the 882nd Basaveswara Jayanti celebration at Ravindra Bharati organised by Raashtra Veerashaiva Lingayat/Lingabalija Sangham.
Deputy Chief Minister Mohd. Mahamood Ali, home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, Zaheerabad MP B.B. Patil, Karne Prabhakar, Ramulu Naidu MLCs praised the CM and called him "Telangana Simham."
While promising official Basaveshwara jayanthi celebrations from next year, the Chief Minister turned down a plea to declare a holiday for government institutions on the day saying if this trend continues, "there would be no working days left."
He said the state government would recommend Veerashaiva Lingayat community, now in the BC Group in the state, for listing in the Central government OBC list. He requested Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya to take up the issue and ensure inclusion of the same.
Recalling the contribution of Lord Basaveshwara in fighting social evils and working for equal rights for women and facing humiliation in the process, the Chief Minister said the Telangana government would ensure a pride of place for the social reformer in its educational curriculum and other walks of life.
He promised government support for the development of Shiva temples in Telangana besides socio, economic and political development of the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
Sources in the government said that community leaders have approached the Chief Minister Office to invite Mr Rao for the community functions following sanction of prime lands and funds to SC, ST and BC, Christian communities for construction of bhavans in Banjara Hills and Secunderabad.
The CM sanctioned one to two acres of land and '2 crore to '10 crore for various communities to construct their own bhavans in city.
"We are getting invites from various communities. It is creating problem since everyone wants land and money for the bhavans," a senior official said.
