Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reiterated the resolve to take the State forward on socio-economic and cultural spheres and work for its comprehensive development.
He was speaking during the inauguration of Dasara festival atop Chamundi Hills here on Monday. Mr. Bommai said there were challenges and issues that need to be addressed and the government was committed to working towards improving the economic conditions of the poorest of the poor and bettering their quality of life.
Expressing satisfaction that the grandeur of Mysuru Dasara was being revived as it was being held after a gap of two years, Mr. Bommai said that the fact that President Droupadi Murmu had inaugurated it had made it special and was significant by itself.
The Chief Minister said Dasara as Naada Habba is celebrated across the State and the practice of seeking blessings by offering prayers to goddess Chamundeshwari - which is a shakti peetha atop the Chamundi Hills - was started by the maharajas of Mysuru. The custom and the cultural traditions have been carried forward by the State which seeks the prosperity of the people, he added.
While upholding cultural traditions was important, so was striving for a prosperous future and the government was taking measures for public welfare, Mr. Bommai added.
Dasara is celebrated to mark the destruction of the demon Mahishasura but it was symbolic of the victory of good over evil and one should strive to extinguish negative thoughts in oneself, said Mr. Bommai.
Union Minister for Coal, Mining and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, Mysuru district in charge and Minister for Co-Operation S.T. Somashekar, Minister for Kannada & Culture K. Sunil Kumar, MP Pratap Simha and MLAs, S.A. Ramdas, Tanveer Sait and L. Nagendra were among those present.
