Babu Jagajivan Ram Jayanti was celebrated in Belagavi on Friday. Folk artists performed along a procession in the main streets of the city.
Senior officers paid tributes to the former Union Minister by garlanding his statue. Officers administered an oath that included the Preamble of the Constitution. Later, resource persons spoke about the life and contribution of Babu Jagjivan Ram. Guests gave away prizes to students who scored highest in SSLC examinations.
Hanumanthappa Sanjeevannavara, professor, Rani Channamma University, spoke about the personal and public life of Babu Jagjivan Ram. “He is among the grand pantheon of leaders who fought for equality of human beings. His life is a message for all of us who are suffering from discrimination or seeing other fellow human beings suffer from it. He spoke against untouchability and caste-based discrimination. He fought against exploitation all his life,” he said. His dream was that everyone in the society should get quality education and a better life. He and other leaders like B.R. Ambedkar worked towards building an exploitation-free society.
Babu Jagjivan Ram lost his father at a young age and grew up under the care of his mother, Vasanti Devi. He was deeply affected by insults he suffered during childhood due to the social evil of untouchability. Even in school, he was asked to drink from a separate pot. Enraged by this, he broke the pots. He became a great leader, participated in the freedom struggle and struggle against untouchability started by Mahatma Gandhi. He became the first Labour Minister of independent India. He never looked back in his political journey and held several portfolios including that of Deputy PM. He is known as othe harbinger of Green Revolution. He was also an outstanding parliamentarian.
DC Nitesh Patil, Police Commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang, ZP CEO Rahul Shinde, Superintendent of police Bheema Shankar Guled, Social Welfare Department Joint Director Navin Shintre, and others were present.
