Sarvajanika Abbakka Utsava to be organised on April 18, 19

In protest against the denial of the district administration to include the name of Ullala Veerarani Abbakka Utsava Samithi in the invitation of Abbakka Utsava scheduled to be held on February 29, the Ullala Veerarani Abbakka Utsava Samithi will organise Sarvajanika Abbakka Utsava at Thokkottu on April 18 and 19.

Briefing reporters, former MLA K Jayaram Shetty said that the Samithi had laid the foundation for Abbakka Utsava in 1997 and was organising it by raising funds from donors.

In 2008, then chief minister B S Yediyurappa had sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for Abbakka Utsava and the district administration started organising it through the government fund. For the last two years, Ullala Veerarani Abbakka Utsava Samithi was not involved in the Abbakka Utsava organised by the district administration.

“We have been demanding the district administration to acknowledge the name of the Samithi in the invitation, which they have denied. In addition, the district administration had constituted a committee of 120 members without any yardstick for the success of Abbakka Utsava. If the district administration acknowledges our Samithi, then we will support Abbakka Utsava organised by it on February 29. Otherwise, we will organise Abbakka Utsava by raising donation.”

Other demands

Shetty said that though D V Sadananda Gowda when he was the chief minister had sanctioned Rs 2 crore for Abbakka Bhavana at Thokkottu, the work has not commenced even to this day. With the efforts of the Ullala Veerarani Abbakka Utsava Samithi, Abbakka Bhavana was sanctioned.

“We have been submitting memorandums to the chief minister, deputy commissioner and Ullal CMC commissioner, urging them to take up the work on the Abbakka Bhavana on a half-acre land identified for the purpose in Thokkottu. In fact, Ramanath Rai had even laid the foundation stone for the Bhavana when he was the district in-charge minister. However, the work is yet to commence,” he alleged.

Though the state government had sanctioned Veerarani Abbakka Adhyayana Peetha at Mangalore University, the Peetha is not active owing to a paucity of funds.

The Samithi has urged the higher education minister to earmark Rs 2 crore for the Peetha in the budget.

The Samithi has also urged the authorities to name Mangaluru International Airport after Veerarani Abbakka.

In addition, Abbakka museum, theme park, Abbakka statue in front of DC’s office should be taken up. The New Mangalore Port should also be named after Abbakka. At least one road in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mangaluru should be named after Abbakka, demanded Shetty.