The 67th anniversary celebration of the Mysore Chalo agitation, organised by the district administration here at Freedom Park in Subbarayanakere on Tuesday, turned out to be a damp squib with prominent invitees not attending.
Prominent invitees, including Minister for Revenue and Mysore District in-charge Minister V. Srinivas Prasad; Vasu, MLA, and R. Lingappa, Mayor of Mysore City Corporation, did not turn up for the programme in the afternoon. Mr. Prasad, however, inaugurated a procession in the morning.
Veteran freedom fighters, who had come from far-off places including Chitradurga and Kolar, were felicitated at the venue by office-bearers of the Mysore Freedom Fighters’ Association. No official from the district administration was present during the felicitation. The district administration had organised the programme at a cost of Rs. 10 lakh. As per the programme, freedom fighters, along with the district in-charge Minister, would garland the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Freedom Park on Tuesday morning. A cultural programme and felicitation were planned at the Kalamandira in the afternoon.
Change in programmeHowever, the district administration abruptly cancelled the programme at Kalamandira and decided to hold the afternoon event at Subbarayanakere.
Many freedom fighters along with their attendants, and performing artistes were seen being directed by Kalamandira authorities to the venue. On October 24, 1947, the erstwhile king, Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar yielded to pressure and agreed for the constitution of a responsible government. K.C. Reddy was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Mysore State.
