Addressing the gathering, he said Kudmul Ranga Rao was a visionary who fought for the rights of the underprivileged and worked for their education. “Gandhi considered him his guru,” Dinesh added.
Credit: DH Photo
District-in-Charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao inaugurated Kudmul Ranga Rao Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scheduled Caste Girls Hostel at PVS Circle on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering, he said Kudmul Ranga Rao was a visionary who fought for the rights of the underprivileged and worked for their education. “Gandhi considered him his guru,” Dinesh added.
“He gave voice to the voiceless by undertaking social reforms and ensuring social justice. He worked for the social independence of the depressed classes and fought against social evils. In 1897 itself, he set up the Depressed Classes Commission,” the minister said.
Rao recollected that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during his first term, had implemented a law to reserve 24 per cent of the funds for the welfare of SC/STs. This helped in the construction of hostels, scholarships, housing and other programmes for them, he added.
“The present Congress government has increased the ceiling on tender works from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore for contractors hailing from SC/ST communities,” Dinesh said.
The Minister stressed the need for education among the underprivileged. He said that caste-based discrimination was prevalent in society for centuries and noted the government’s duty to work towards their
empowerment.
Mangalore City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath said Rao’s tomb is being developed at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
DSS leader Devadas remembered that the first school for the underprivileged was started in Kapikad by Rao.
Stating that he faced many hardships while working for the education and upliftment of the underprivileged, Devadas said kids should be informed about the history of social reformers like Jyotirao Phule, Savitribhai Phule and others.
The hostel, built at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore, will include 276 girl students, including 156 pre-matric students.
It was built by demolishing the old hostel which Kudmul Ranga Rao had built long ago. Speaker U T Khader was also present on the occasion.