Tumakuru: Social activist and President of Samruddhi Education Trust, Belagumba Venkatesh, has called on the state government to install statues of national icons Jagajyoti Basavanna, Babu Jagjivan Ram, and Mahatma Gandhi in the Tumkur Municipal Corporation premises, in addition to the recently unveiled statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Venkatesh wholeheartedly praised the meaningful effort to honor Dr. Ambedkar—the architect of the Indian Constitution and a tireless champion of equality—by installing his statue to inspire today’s youth. Furthermore, he emphasized that statues of other great leaders who shared similar values and fought for justice and social equity should also be installed to complement this message and ensure balanced representation.
Reflecting on past efforts, he recalled that the foundation stone for the statues of Babu Jagjivan Ram and Basavanna had been laid as early as 2010. However, despite the passage of many years, their statues have yet to be installed. In contrast, Dr. Ambedkar’s statue now proudly stands in the municipal premises.
Therefore, Venkatesh urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and key ministers—including H.C. Mahadevappa, Priyanka Kharge, Krishna Byre Gowda, and District In-charge Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara—to take decisive initiative. He commended their dedicated work in establishing Dr. Ambedkar’s statue and likewise appealed for similar efforts to honor the other distinguished leaders.
To formalize this request, a petition has already been submitted to the Tumkur District Collector and the Municipal Commissioner, urging immediate action. Specifically, Venkatesh suggested installing Babu Jagjivan Ram’s statue in the park opposite the old Nanjundeshwara Hotel, while also proposing that Basavanna and Mahatma Gandhi’s statues be placed within the corporation premises. According to him, this would go a long way in spreading their ideals and informing the public about their contributions to the nation.