The Hindu : Imbibe Nijalingappa's ideals: Shekhawat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Imbibe Nijalingappa's ideals: Shekhawat

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Jan. 17. The best way to pay tribute to S. Nijalingappa, former Chief Minister, is to imbibe the essence of his philosophy which had "Daridra Narayan" as its central concern, the Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, said here today.

Mr. Shekhawat, who was speaking after unveiling the statue of Nijalingappa who was also the last president of the undivided Congress, referred to Nijalingappa's commitment to the Gandhian philosophy and way of life and said it was so firm that he could even criticise Jawaharlal Nehru for not giving priority to the development of villages and agriculture and concentrating on the public sector and heavy industries.

Referring to Nijalingappa's opposition to the Congress party's slogan of socialism which it used to win votes, Mr. Shekhawat said that as president of the party, he had visualized in 1969 that the country's predominantly agrarian economy could develop only through swadeshi and not through the imported concept of socialism.

"When we are promoting economic reforms to facilitate greater private participation in our developmental efforts, Nijalingappa's philosophy becomes very relevant," Mr. Shekhawat remarked.

He said he was also impressed by Nijalingappa's firm faith in inner party democracy and supremacy of the party over the Government. As president of the party, he had openly criticised the Government. Releasing, a commemorative volume, "S.N. - a visionary with a mission", brought out to mark the Nijalingappa centenary celebrations organised by the Kannada and Culture Department, the Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, said it was not just vision that Nijalingappa had, he tried to follow it with the zeal and dedication of a missionary.

He said Nijalingappa had tried to build the destiny of Karnataka on Gandhian principles, with the emphasis on uplifting the poor, progress and prosperity in agriculture, education, and social services.

The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, who released the photo album and presided over the function, described Nijalingappa as one who was not just a person, but an institution and a role model for those who wanted to get into public life.

Recalling his role in the unification movement, his straight-forwardness, and unflinching faith in Gandhian principles, Mr. Krishna said Nijalingappa was not bothered about the Fundamental Rights in the Constitution but in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

A former Chief Justice of the erstwhile Mysore High Court, Nittur Srinivasa Rao, inaugurated a photo exhibition on the life and achievements of `S.N'. D. Jaware Gowda, former Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University and Chief Editor of the commemorative volumes, explained the features of the volumes. The Minister of State for Kannada and Culture, Rani Satish, welcomed the chief guests.

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