Hubballi digests

Foundation seeks CM’s nod for Baba Gouda statue, university renamingHubballi: The Raitashree Baba Gouda Patil Agriculture Foundation-Karnataka has urged the state government to fulfil several of its demands ahead of Farmers’ Martyrs’ Day.

Speaking to reporters in Hubballi on Monday, foundation Dharwad district coordinator B.C.

Patil said a statue of freedom fighter and farmers’ leader Baba Gouda Patil should be installed in the Navalgund-Naragund region. He added that a demand would also be submitted to the Centre to rename the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana after Baba Gouda. Patil further urged the government to rename the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, after Baba Gouda Patil.

He also called for measures to ensure that seeds, fertilisers and pesticides are made available to farmers at affordable prices. Shrikant Shirahatti, Siddaramappa Ranjanagi, Basavaraj Racharaddi, Ningamma and Mahantesh Gundlur were present at the press conference.----Jains demand Maneka Gandhi’s apology, warn of statewide agitationHubballi: Shwetambar Jain Samaj leader Parasmal Jain has warned of a statewide agitation if former Union minister Maneka Gandhi fails to publicly apologise for her remarks against Digambar Jain monks. Addressing a press conference in Hubballi on Monday, he said the Jain community strongly condemns what it termed a baseless statement against the monks. Jain clarified that the picchi used by Digambar Jain monks is made only from peacock feathers that naturally fall from trees and are collected without causing harm to any bird or animal. He said Maneka Gandhi should first study the history of Jainism and its core philosophy of non-violence. He further alleged that rather than targeting Jain traditions, attention should be focused on the large-scale slaughter of cattle. He also claimed that India continues to remain one of the world’s largest exporters of beef.

Vimal Talikoti, RT Tavanappanavar, Shantinath Hotapete, Brahmakumar Bilagi and Suhas Javali were present at the press conference.