Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi
Udupi, Aug 23: "The state government is thinking of establishing Brahmashree Narayana Guru Development Corporation to help the financially and socially backward class of people in the society. The action-plan is being done. Narayana Guru was a social reformer and had great vision. Today, there is a need to unite society. His life and principles are still relevant. We need to follow his ideals to bring changes in society,” said Sunil Kumar, minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture.
He was speaking at Brahmashree Narayan Guru Jayanthi programme organised by Kannada and Culture department, Bengaluru, district administration Udupi in collaboration with Billava Seva Sangha Bannanje, on Monday August 23 at Sri Narayana Guru Mandira auditorium, Bannanje.
He further said, “Caste system, discrimination, caste conflict still exist in the society. Today, people ask for reservation under community quota, but during his time, there was no reservation policy. He never asked for reservation for education. He did not oppress any community. In spite of all this, he brought many reforms in the society. He did not restrict himself to a certain community. He abolished major social evils like untouchability and inequality in his own way.”
Kota Srinivas Poojary, minister for Social and Backward Class Welfare said, “Sri Narayana Guru fought for social justice. He felt that facilities should reach the last person in the society. He worked for the weaker sections and became the voice of the deprived class of people. He abolished the caste system, untouchability and inequality in the society. He did not allow bloodshed in order to bring reform in the society. He always tried to bring socially-deprived people to the mainstream. As I am a minister for the Backward Class Welfare department, I will work on bringing social justice to the people and welfare of weaker sections in my term.”
Dr Manjunath Kotian, principal of Bhuvanendra College, delivered a special lecture on the life and principles of Narayana Guru.
Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat presided over the programme.
Deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha, district superintendent of police N Vishnuvardhan, CEO of zilla panchayat Dr Naveen Bhat Y, Mattar Ratnakar Hegde, president, Coastal Development Authority, Raghavendra Kini, president, Udupi Urban Development Authority, Anand Poojary, president Billava Seva Sangha and others were present.
Additional deputy commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu welcomed the gathering. Kumar Bekkeri, deputy director of Kannada and Culture department, rendered the vote of thanks.
Roshan Kumar Shetty, deputy director of Youth Empowerment and Sports department, compered the programme.