Floral tribute to a portrait of Jawaharlal Nehru at the Children’s Day programme at Bharat Jodo Bhavan, the KPCC office in Bengaluru. Photo: Siddaramaiah media group
Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said Jawaharlal Nehru laid a firm foundation for the country’s development and that his contribution to food security, irrigation, industry, science, education and the strengthening of democracy can never be forgotten.
He was speaking after paying floral tribute to Nehru’s portrait at the Children’s Day programme held at Bharat Jodo Bhavan, the KPCC office in Bengaluru, to mark Nehru’s birth anniversary.
KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, former chief minister Veerappa Moily, minister Eshwar Khandre, AICC secretary Gopinathan and Guarantee Implementation Committee president H.M. Revanna were among those on the stage.
Nehru had immense love for children, Siddaramaiah said. He wanted them to be given good education and a scientific and rational outlook so that they grow into responsible citizens, and held that setting aside time for children is everyone’s duty, he said.
When the country became independent in 1947, it faced food shortages, poverty, communal riots and economic hardship, Siddaramaiah said. As Prime Minister, Nehru gave priority to development through five-year plans and laid the foundation for agriculture through large irrigation projects such as Bhakra Nangal, Nagarjuna Sagar, Hirakud and the Damodar Valley, he said. The Green Revolution later succeeded under Indira Gandhi with the contribution of experts such as agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan, he added.
Nehru did not limit himself to irrigation but also gave special emphasis to industry, science and technology, with priority to public sector enterprises, research institutions and scientific centres, Siddaramaiah said. He advocated a mixed economy with socialist thinking and worked for the country’s economic self-reliance, he said.
Siddaramaiah recalled that Nehru jumped into the freedom struggle, spent about nine years in jail and wrote significant literary works even in prison, and that he strengthened the country’s democratic system as Prime Minister for about 17 consecutive years.
Nehru believed in the values of democracy, secularism, pluralism and equality, but the BJP’s political ideology runs against these ideas, Siddaramaiah alleged. That is why BJP leaders keep attacking Nehru’s personality and achievements, he alleged, and they are using Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel politically to oppose Nehru. The statement carries no response from the BJP.
Casteism, poverty and social inequality persist in the country, and an egalitarian society cannot be built without removing them, Siddaramaiah said. He called on everyone, especially children and young people, to adopt humanity, mutual love, a secular outlook and a scientific approach.
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