Nation will forever remember those who were martyred in Pahalgam terror attack, and for country: K'taka CM

Hans India

2 days ago

Bengaluru: "The nation will forever remember, with indebtedness, those who were martyred in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and in the subsequent conflict between India and Pakistan," stated Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day, CM Siddaramaiah further stated, "We bow our heads in humble respect to their indomitable courage and supreme sacrifice."
"Since Independence, countless soldiers have made the supreme sacrifice in wars and conflicts to protect our nation. Even Prime Ministers have laid down their lives in the face of terror attacks. In building the nation's economy, countless workers, farmers, scholars, scientists, teachers, and activists, representing all productive sections of society, have played an active role. On this auspicious occasion, it is our duty to remember and honour them as well," he stated.
"Karnataka stood at the forefront of India's freedom movement. Brave sons and daughters such as Kittur Rani Chennamma, Sangolli Rayanna, Dondiya Wagh, the heroic Bedas of Halagali, Mylara Mahadevappa, and Boodi Basappa Nayak inspired generations with their valour. Historic centres of resistance such as Srirangapatna, Surapura, Kittur, Esuru, Vidurashwatha, Shivapura, Ankola, and many others were alive with the spirit of freedom. Lakhs of people participated actively, and thousands laid down their lives for the cause. We must honour them all with heartfelt gratitude," CM Siddaramaiah stated.
Surveys by leading national institutions reveal a stark truth: The wealthiest 10 per cent of our population hold 80 per cent of the nation's wealth, yet they contribute only about 3 per cent of the GST collected. The remaining 90 per cent ordinary people who work daily for food and clothing shoulder nearly 97 per cent of GST payments, CM Siddaramaiah noted.
"How can any economy sustain itself under such circumstances? How can we fulfil the spirit of our Constitution? How can we reduce this growing inequality? These questions troubled us deeply. It is with the intention of finding answers to these very questions that we launched the Guarantee Schemes and other welfare programmes," CM Siddaramaiah stated.
The ideology of Manuvad asserts that only the powerful should thrive while the rest remain as labourers and subordinates, an idea similar to Social Darwinism. In contrast, our Constitution stands firmly for Samvidhanvad, the principle that the weakest and most vulnerable must receive priority, he underlined.
"This year, we are setting up 500 Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) at a cost of Rs 2,500 crore. We are providing nutritious food to 53 lakh children, ragi malt, milk, eggs or bananas on all school days, and a hot mid-day meal", CM Siddaramaiah stated.
Recently, the State Education Policy Commission, chaired by Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, submitted its report. For the first time, steps are being taken to frame a comprehensive, Karnataka-specific education policy which will lead to holistic development of our youth, CM Siddaramaiah added.
"We have all observed how our younger generations are caught in the distraction of mobile phones and the Internet. They are facing deep distress resulting in depression, anxiety, sudden anger, and hatred. We must collectively find new ways to address this social challenge. In this regard, we have launched the 'Mobile Bidi - Pustaka Hidi ('Put Down Your Phone – Pick Up a Book)' and 'Odu Karnataka ('Read Karnataka)' campaigns" CM Siddaramaiah stated.
"We have declared Karnataka a Naxal-free state. Now, we must all work together to declare our proud state drug-free. In this fight, every citizen must act like a warrior. The government is already working on this mission, involving all stakeholders," the CM stated.
Karnataka is facing discrimination in the distribution of resources from the Centre. There is growing concern that Constitutional bodies like the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and others are not working to uphold the true values of democracy and cooperative federalism as enshrined in the Constitution. Every responsible citizen must raise their voice in this regard, he said.