BJP’s policies favour rich, Congress always stands for poor: CM Siddaramaiah

Siddaramaiah said D Devaraj Urs was instrumental in bringing several landmark reforms like ‘land to the tiller,’ reservations and justice to backward classes. “But throughout its history, BJP opposed such reforms,” the chief minister said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Sunday, alleged that the BJP’s policies were in favour of the rich, while the Congress had always shaped policies keeping the poor and the downtrodden in mind.

He was speaking at a function to mark the 108th birth anniversary of late chief minister D Devaraj Urs here.  Siddaramaiah said Urs was instrumental in bringing several landmark reforms like ‘land to the tiller,’ reservations and justice to backward classes. “But throughout its history, BJP opposed such reforms,” the chief minister said. 

‘Urs gave reservation’

He said Urs was instrumental in according reservation to OBCs in the state.

“Till Urs became CM, the Havanur commission report was biting dust in the office. But it was Urs who implemented the recommendations of the report. Thus, OBCs benefited from several schemes and several downtrodden communities were uplifted in the education and social spheres,” he said.

The CM said that not many were aware that what began as Keonics Electronics City in Bengaluru in 1978 had today transformed into the country’s most important IT hub.

“There is no doubt that Electronics City and the IT revolution were the result of Urs’ foresight. I am planning to rename the electronics city as Devaraj Urs city in the next Cabinet meeting,” he said.

Award to Kagodu

The CM presented the D Devaraj Urs award to former minister Kagodu Thimmappa on the occasion.  

“Veteran Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa fought against the tenancy system (geni paddhati) as part of the Kagodu satyagraha,” the CM said.  Earlier, the CM garlanded Urs’ statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises and took a small ride in Urs’ famed black Mercedes Benz car - MOE 777.