MYSURU — Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently officiated the unveiling of a statue dedicated to the revered former Chief Minister, D. Devaraj Urs, a leader widely recognized for his unwavering commitment to backward classes. The ceremony took place on November 3, on the grounds of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Bannur Road in Mysuru.
This unveiling brings to fruition a long-standing aspiration for many in the region. The delay in the statue’s installation had previously drawn criticism from the BJP, with leaders and supporters even staging protests, including an attempt to lay siege to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Karnataka Rajyotsava (November 1), demanding its immediate inauguration.
During the event, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah acknowledged that while the occasion could have been celebrated on a grander scale with more extensive public involvement, the district administration chose to proceed with the unveiling given his scheduled visit to Mysuru on that date.
Speaking passionately, Mr. Siddaramaiah lauded D. Devaraj Urs as a formidable champion of social justice, emphasizing his immense and indelible contributions to the state’s development and societal equity.
Further honoring Urs’s memory, Mr. Siddaramaiah announced plans to develop his ancestral home in Kallahalli village, Hunsur taluk, Mysuru district, into a dedicated memorial. This initiative aims to preserve the legacy of the late leader for future generations.
The Chief Minister expressed his satisfaction that the statue’s unveiling had fulfilled a deep-seated desire among the local populace. He stated, “Many residents of Mysuru, Mr. Urs’s home district, had long wished for his statue to be installed here. Today, that wish has finally come true.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah highlighted Urs as an exemplary role model for politicians across the spectrum, celebrating him as a visionary social reformer who tirelessly worked to dismantle societal inequalities. He underscored Urs’s crucial role in identifying and granting political representation to previously unrepresented communities in Karnataka, thereby creating vital opportunities for the marginalized.
He further elaborated that D. Devaraj Urs was instrumental in opening doors for socially, economically, and politically disadvantaged sections, enabling countless individuals to ascend in public life.
Reflecting on Urs’s eight-year tenure as Chief Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah remarked, “Mr. Devaraj Urs relentlessly pursued the eradication of inequality and implemented numerous transformative reforms.” He affirmed that his current government remains dedicated to these foundational efforts to achieve true equality and uphold the spirit of the Constitution. “It is our collective duty to honor his memory and contributions,” he reiterated.
Among Urs’s significant achievements, Mr. Siddaramaiah specifically recalled the historic decision during his leadership to change the state’s name from Mysore to Karnataka, a moment of profound regional identity.
The ceremony was attended by several notable figures, including Mysuru District In-charge Minister H. C. Mahadevappa, MLA Tanveer Sait, MLCs A. H. Vishwanath, K. Shivakumar, Thimmaiah, Karnataka Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority Vice-chairperson Pushpa Amarnath, and Bharati Urs, daughter of D. Devaraj Urs.