Contributions of Sharanas immense: Minister

Vatal Nagaraj says he sacrificed ministerial berth twice

Revenue Minister V Sreenivas Prasad said, the contributions of Sharanas towards equality, social justice and social revolutions was immense.

He was speaking during the Guruvandana programme of Siddalinga Shivacharya seer, at Dasara Exhibition Grounds, here, on Sunday.

Works of literature by Sharanas and Dasas, along with folk literature, provided scope for the people to be aware of the social injustices prevalent in the society. Such an awareness resulted in people revolting against the system for equality and justice, he said.

When basics rights of life was being denied for a particular section of the population, Sharanas like Allama Prabhu and Basavanna fought against it. They are the forefathers of social reforms in the country, he said.

Basavanna is described as the Buddha of South India, as both worked towards attaining equal goals. What these leaders tried to achieve by social reformation, Dr B R Ambedkar tried to achieve by constitutional methods, he said.

Sacrifice story

Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj said, though ministerial berth had beckoned him twice in his five-decade long political career, he chose against it. “It would not have been possible to protest for the rights of Kannada and Kannada people by becoming a minister in the government,” he said, explaining his decision to forsake the berths. 

He said former chief ministers Devaraj Urs and S Nijalingappa had offered him berths in their Cabinet. Nagaraj, in a lighter vein, also took a dig at various ministers in Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet.