CM Siddaramaiah recalls Razakar atrocities during Kalyana Karnataka Utsav, renews demand for AIIMS in Raichur

KALABURAGI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recalled the atrocities committed by the Razakars during his address at the Kalyana Karnataka Utsav celebrations in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.

He said that while the rest of India celebrated its independence on August 15, 1947, Kalaburagi was still not free. “The atrocities committed by the Razakars had become intolerable. It was thanks to the unwavering determination of the exceptional freedom fighters that the Hyderabad-Karnataka region ultimately gained its independence”, the CM noted.

“While the rest of India was celebrating independence on August 15, 1947, this region was still not free. The atrocities of the Razakars had reached unbearable limits. It was due to the unwavering resolve of the unparalleled freedom fighters from this land of sacrifice, coupled with the firm determination of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, that this region was integrated into the Indian Union”, Siddaramaiah said.

He later expressed gratitude to the countless freedom fighters who played a crucial role in making the region of Hyderabad-Karnataka independent.

“The sacrifices made by the countless heroes of the Hyderabad-Karnataka liberation struggle are unforgettable. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the fighters, including Shri Sharanagouda Inamdar, Shri Raja Venkatappa Nayak, Shri Dattatreya Avaradi, Shri Shivamurthy Swamy Alavandi, Shri Matamari Nagappa, Shri Narayanrao Kanihal, Shri Hakeekat Rao Chitaguppakar, Shri Chandrashekhar Patil, Shri Ramachar, Dr. Churchihal Math, Shri Ramachandra Veerappa, Shri Kapatappa Bele, Shri A.V. Patil, Shri R.V. Biddappa, Shri Amar Singh Rathod, and many others”, he added.

The CM also inspected crop damage in Kalaburagi due to rain.

Siddaramaiah also highlighted that the Kalyana Karnataka districts have remained underdeveloped since independence. For many years, the region has demanded special status. He claimed that the BJP government, under the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, rejected this long-standing public request. However, in 2013, the UPA government, led by Dr Manmohan Singh, amended the Constitution and issued notifications to implement Article 371-J, effective January 1, 2013.

During the speech, Siddaramaiah also highlighted the government’s efforts to develop the region by stating that approximately Rs 1 lakh crore has been invested in various guarantee schemes. Under these initiatives, 77.6 crore women have benefited from free transportation through the Shakti scheme. Under the Gruha Jyoti scheme, 2.42 lakh beneficiaries have received free electricity. Additionally, the Gruha Laxmi scheme has disbursed Rs 9,650 crore to 24.78 lakh women family heads, with each receiving Rs 2,000 per month. Moreover, over the past two years, KKRTC has added 937 new buses and recruited 1,873 new staff members.

Talking about the region’s health sector, Siddaramaiah also stated that a special programme called ‘Arogya Aavishkar’ was comprehensively allocated Rs 1,797 crore to improve the healthcare system. He further claimed that the government is showing little cooperation in establishing the AIIMS institution in Raichur.

“Our government is fully committed to providing all necessary support to establish an AIIMS institution in Raichur. We have written numerous letters to the central government and have personally met with Union Ministers to press this demand. However, the central government has shown little cooperation. I strongly urge the central government to take immediate steps to initiate the establishment of AIIMS”, added Siddaramaiah.

He further claimed that the Kalyan Karnataka region experienced significant growth in its startup ecosystem. According to Siddaramaiah, Kalaburagi is now home to more than 120 active startups. As per Siddarmiah, the government aims to establish over 500 startups by 2030. Additionally, a total grant of Rs. 200 crores has been provided through the KKRDB for the development of small-scale industries.

Earlier, CM Siddaramaiah had welcomed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) council’s decision on the rationalisation of the rates, stating that it was an important step to reduce both monetary and compliance burden on people and businesses. (ANI).