Places in Belagavi visited by Mahatma Gandhi to be protected, beautified

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan had directed officials to start the work of repair and renovation and beautification of the Veera Soudha in Belagavi, the site of the 1924 All India Congress session that was chaired by the Mahatma, the Khadi centre in Hudali village, and the Gangadhar Rao Deshpande memorial hall in Kanabaragi.

The district administration plans to protect and beautify sites and places that Mahatma Gandhi visited during his week-long stay in Belagavi in 1924.

Deputy Director of Information Gurunath Kadabur said that the district-level centenary celebration committee had recommended the protection, beautification and conservation of such sites and places.

As a result, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan had directed officials to start the work of repair and renovation and beautification of the Veera Soudha in Belagavi, the site of the 1924 All India Congress session that was chaired by the Mahatma, the Khadi centre in Hudali village, and the Gangadhar Rao Deshpande memorial hall in Kanabaragi.

An initial meeting of officials has prepared a list of works and estimated expenditure. These will be finalised at the meeting of the State-level committee headed by Minister H. K. Patil, the officials said. An inaugural event is likely to be held in the last week of December.

Committee members writer Sarju Katkar; Ravindra Deshpande, chairman of Gangadhar Rao Deshpande Memorial Trust, Subhash Kulkarni, former president, district Khadi Gramodyog Sangha; and Raghavendra Hammannavar, secretary, Khadi Gramodyog Sahakari Utpadak Sangha, and others suggested setting up a protective railing around the statue of Mr Deshpande in Tilakwadi first gate, completion of the memorial hall in Kanabaragi, and renovating other monuments. It was also suggested that an e-book containing Gandhiji’s writings about the 1924 Belgaum session, the resolutions adopted and other relevant material be brought out, along with a printed book on plays about the freedom struggle.

M. R. Shegunashi, Superintending Engineer, Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited, was among those present.