Dr B Thomas (Special correspondent)
Action has been taken to release the Rs.5 cr grant for social and educational welfare activities of the Sri Bhagiratha Peetha of the Uppara Community,Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.
The Chief Minister was addressing a convention of the Uppara community after inaugurating the Bhariratha temple at Bhagiratha Guru Peetha in Hosadurga.
Upparas are a hard working community.They are as holy as the Ganges.Sri Purushottamananda Swamiji is striving for the welfare of the community,Bommai said and assured that the State government would lend support for all the welfare programmes of the seer.
The Chief Minister on the occasion announced that the main canal of the Upper Bhadra project which flows near the Mutt would be named after Bharatha.
Taking an indirect dig at opposition leaders, Bommai said, some leaders have attained top positions by using the social justice issue in their speeches.
But where was this concern for social justice when they were in the seat of power? Bommai asked.
They indulged in politics in the name of the poor for the past 75 years and came to power many times.But betrayed the poor and the dalits after coming to power,Bommai said.
Referring to several welfare programmes being implemented through the Uppara Development Corporation for the welfare of the community, Bommai said,the State government has even raised the grant for the Corporation.
Murugha Mutt Seer Dr.Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru,Bhariratha Peetha Jagadguru Dr. Purushotamanandapuri Swamiji,Union ministers, Kapil Moreshwar Patil,A Narayanaswamy,Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Renu Devi,ministers Govind Karjol,BA Basavaraj,BC Patil and others were present.