Urs forayed into politics to bring his dream of an equal society to fruition, says Vijayashankar

Mysuru: Grace and dignity were the hallmarks of former chief minister D Devaraja Urs’s personality, said former minister and Congress leader CH Vijayashankar here on Thursday. “He was a forceful personality, and his bearing was such that we often felt as though a tusker was walking amidst us,” he added.
Vijayashankar, who flagged off the event held to observe the 37th death anniversary of the former CM, recalled Urs’s indefatigable fight for social equality in Karnataka. “In fact, it was to realise his dream of an equal society that prompted his entry to politics. Despite being born into a family of means, Urs endured several travails in his life – taking on odd jobs, and working as a farmer before foraying into politics. His brief stint as a farmer enabled him to empathise with the plight of peasants,” Vijayashankar said.
The former minister also recalled Urs’s work ethic, which he said had no parallel. “He was never wary of taking an unpopular stand, and Urs always stood in solidarity with the people. Despite opposition to the construction of Varuna Canal, the former CM stuck to his guns and ensured its completion. It was during his reign that Dalit communities got an identity,” Vijayashankar said.
Chairman of Kannada Development Authority SG Siddaramaiah credited Urs with the implementation of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s famous 20-Point Farmer Programme, which helped improve the ryots’ lot in Karnataka. “Indira did Karnataka a huge favour by appointing Urs as the CM, else it would have been near impossible for him to rise to that position. It was Urs who ensured that entry to the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) was a level-playing field, freeing it from the clutches of a few leaders, who had skewed the selection process by indulging in caste politics. I owe my job in KPSC to the former CM,” The KDA chief said.
Defending Urs against the allegations of corruption, Siddaramaiah said, “Personally, Urs was above corruption, and this is borne out by the fact that his family hardly owns any property today.”
SV Venkatesh Urs, N Nagachandra, M Chandrashekar, KS Narasimhamurthy, KS Narasimhamurthy, Kiran G Urs and Banu Mohan were conferred the ‘Dhwani Kotta Dhani’ award on the occasion.
GTD offers tribute on Twitter
Meanwhile, Mysuru district in-charge minister and senior JD(S) leader GT Devegowda recalled the many contributions of D Devaraja Urs on his Twitter handle.
Meanwhile, Hunsur MLA and former minister Adagooru H Vishwanath offered floral tributes at the final resting place of Urs in Kallahalli, which was also the former CM’s birthplace. Mysuru zilla panchayat vice-president Gowramma accompanied Vishwanath.
Demand for former CM’s statue in Mysuru
Activists of the Arasu Jagruthi Samithi pressed for the installation of a statue of former chief minister D Devaraja Urs in Mysuru, his home district. Former minister CH Vijayashankar assured them of relaying the demand to CM HD Kumaraswamy. “I have not spoken to former CM Siddaramaiah recently. But I will discuss the demand with him, and we will come to a conclusion on installing the statue,” said Vijayashankar.