Grand event planned to celebrate centenary of Belgaum session chaired by Gandhi
Belagavi Deputy Commissioner holds meeting of freedom fighters and Khadi activists
A meeting of freedom fighters and others to prepare for the centenary celebrations of the Belgaum session under way in Belagavi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: P.K. Badiger
The State government will organise a grand event to celebrate the centenary of the 39th Congress session chaired by Mahatma Gandhi in Belgaum (now Belagavi) in 1924, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan said in Belagavi on Monday.
At a meeting of a consultative committee that includes freedom fighters, Khadi activists and Gandhians, the Deputy Commissioner said that all efforts will be made to see that the celebrations are meaningful.
He said that the State government has set aside a budget of ₹2 crore for the celebrations. “However, we can raise additional resources from corporates,” he added.
He urged members of the consultative committee to join hands to raise CSR funds. He said that several sub-committees will be formed to organise various events before the main event.
Deputy Director of Information Gurunath Kadabur said that another committee of experts and officials is likely to be constituted to organise the celebrations.
Gandhian Dilip Kamat said that the celebrations should centre around the values preached and practised by Gandhi.
“We should use the occasion to spread among the youth the ideals of economic self-reliance and the idea of India that is rooted in liberal secular value systems,” he said.
He read out from the Belgaum impressions, an article by Gandhi in the Young India written after the session. “Gandhi said he did not agree with the lavish expenditure on the arrangements. However, he appreciated the fact that 30 of the 40 sanitation volunteers were from the Brahmin community,” Mr. Kamat said.
He also suggested that the minutes of the resolutions passed during the Congress session should be published and various competitions should be organized for students to help them realize the importance of the session.
Writer Saraju Katkar said that centenary programme should be held across the State. He said that documents related to the session and photographs should be exhibited. And, the Veera Soudha at Tilakwadi should be revived.
He urged officials to put up plaques containing details about freedom fighters on the roads and circles named after them.
Chairman of Gangadhar Rao Deshpande Memorial Trust Ravindra Deshpande and secretary Subhas Kulkarni, who participated in the meeting, said that programmes should be organised to commemorate Gangadhar Rao Deshpande who was responsible for holding the Congress session.
Mr. Deshpande requested that ₹50 lakh rupees should be provided as a centenary grant to complete the construction of the Gangadhar Rao Deshpande memorial. He sought renaming of the Tilakwadi Second Gate area as Vijay Nagar and the Congress well as Pampa Sarovar.
One of the members suggested optimal utilisation of the Veera Soudha monument as a library, children’s activity centre and venue for music concerts and setting up an online platform for sale of Khadi and village industry products.
Seva Dal leader Basavaraj Hattigoudar said that an interfaith meeting should be used to spread the message of communal harmony.
Social activists Srinivas Talukar, Mallesh Chowgale, Vikas Kalaghatagi, Additional Superintendent of Police Ramagonda Basaragi, Municipal Commissioner Ashok Dudgunti, Additional Deputy Commissioner Vijayakumar Honakeri, Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Basavaraj Hegganayak, Deputy Director of Kannada and Culture Department Vidyavathy Bhajantri were present in the meeting.
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