Thousands remember Made Gowda, who fought for farmers’ cause  

MYSURU:  Farmer leader G Made Gowda, who passed away at the age of 92 after a brief illness on Saturday, was laid to rest with full state honours at KM Doddi in Mandya district on Sunday.

Despite the pouring rain, thousands of people, including farmers of the Cauvery basin, bid a tearful adieu to the Gandhian, when his mortal remains were brought to his residence in Bandegowda Layout in Mandya. Gowda was the face of the farmers’ agitation during the Cauvery water dispute with Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in the day, people from all walks of life, including Gowda’s close associates, paid their respects to his mortal remains at Gandhi Bhavan in Mandya. Mandya MP Sumalatha and several elected representatives were present.

As Gowda’s last journey to Hanumanthanagar in KM Doddi began, thousands of people gathered on both sides of the highway along Mandya town and Maddur to catch a glimpse of the farmer leader for one last time. Having set up more than 27 educational institutions, including Bharathi Education Society, and hospitals, he was also instrumental in starting Bharathi Cooperative Sugar Factory that provided employment to the youth of Maddur taluk. He also built Gandhi Bhavan in Mandya and opened a free library and conducted activities to encourage rural talent.

Meanwhile, residents of his native village, Gurudevanahalli, blocked the road demanding that Gowda’s family bring his body to their village for them to pay their respects. The family then took Gowda’s body to the village and then proceeded towards KM Doddi. 

Deputy CM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan and District Minister Narayana Gowda were present on behalf of the State Government. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC working president R Druvanarayana, Adichunchanagiri Seer Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swami, JDS leader H D Revanna, KRRS leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar, Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association President Kurbur Shanthakumar,  legislators Srinivas, C S Puttaraju, KT Srikanth Gowda, Suresh Gowda and Ravindra Srikanataiah, former MLAs N Chaluvarayaswamy, H D Chowdaiah and Vasu and others paid their respects.

Gowda was an admirer of former CM S Nijalingappa.   When Made Gowda and Maddur MLA Manche Gowda were asked by Nijalingappa to join the Cabinet, Made Gowda appealed to the CM to sanction a sugar factory to the region. 

Gowda had won from Kirugalavu Assembly constituency in 1962. He represented the seat till 1989 and contested the General Elections from Mandya and won in 1989 and 1991. He was also Minister for Forest in Chief Minister Gundu Rao’s Cabinet from 1981 to 1983.