GADAG: Jagadguru Tontada Siddalinga Mahaswamiji’s birthday will be celebrated as Social Harmony Day, and a government order in this regard will be issued soon, said chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Bommai in his address after inaugurating the ‘Aikya Mantapa’ of the swamiji here on Friday, said, “It is our duty to celebrate his birthday meaningfully. Swamiji was a great thinker and philosopher. He could have built huge structures and institutions, but was dedicated towards building a harmonious society and towards welfare,” he added.
“The swamiji had immense concern for the environment, and he had led a strong agitation to declare Kappata Gudda as a wildlife sanctuary. He was involved in the Gokak agitation for the cause of Kannada language,” Bommai recalled.
“Even Kannada icon Dr Rajkumar was inspired by the swamiji’s oratory during the Gokak agitation,” Bommai said.
He inaugurated Utsav Bhavan in Gadag, and participated in the BJP programme there. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development programmes that are being taken up at the cost of Rs 271.8 crore in Nargund assembly constituency.
