Siddaramaiah promises grants for Dalit & backward mutts

Bengaluru, May 3 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday assured that grants would be provided to all Dalit and backward mutts across the state.

A delegation of seers from the Federation of Backward and Dalit Mutts met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his official residence, Kaveri, and presented their charter of demands during a discussion.

In response to their demands, Siddaramaiah assured the delegation that the government would extend financial support to all the communities. The seers further urged the Congress-led government to allot land in Chitradurga district to establish a Gurukul (traditional school) to train priests from backward and Dalit communities.

The Chief Minister accepted the request and directed officials to identify suitable land and submit a report. Responding to their appeal for allotting sites in Bengaluru for backward and Dalit communities, Siddaramaiah assured them that the matter would be considered, said a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

In a separate meeting, a delegation of community leaders led by Purushothamananda Swamiji of the Uppara community also met the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and pressed for various demands, including political representation for members of their community.

The Federation, in its memorandum, demanded a grant of Rs 10 crore each for 17 projects undertaken by various communities across the state.

The memorandum said: “We request you to provide financial assistance of Rs 10 crore each in a single instalment for the mutts that are striving to ensure the academic progress of the backward and Dalit communities. These mutts are facing a severe fund crunch in building educational institutions, community halls, and other infrastructure aimed at empowering oppressed classes.”

The Federation also sought a grant of Rs 25 crore for the construction of a Gurukul in Chitradurga district, which would provide religious education and training based on traditional systems to students of oppressed classes.

The Gurukul will impart progressive teachings to priests from oppressed communities and will also train students from Dalit and backward classes to prepare for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) exams.

In addition, the Federation demanded Rs 2 crore each in grants for 35 mutts, trusts, associations, and educational institutions for infrastructure development across the state.

The delegation included Jagadguru Niranjanandapuri Mahaswami of Kanakaguru Peetha, Jagadguru Immadi Siddarameshwara Mahaswami of Bhovi Gurupeetha, Jagadguru Basavamurthy Madara Channaiah Mahaswami of Shivasharana Madara Channaiah Gurupeetha, among other prominent seers.

--IANS

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