Mysore/Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asserted that the State Government is committed to ensure social justice to all, in sync with the principles envisaged by Shivayogi Sri Siddarameshwara, who was a strong votary of equal distribution of wealth and power among all.

He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating Sri Shivayogi Siddarameshwara Jayanti, organised by the District Administration in association with Kannada and Culture Department, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and Sri Shivayogi Siddarameshwara Jayantotsava Samiti, at Kalamandira in the city yesterday.

Saying that ‘one should not lead a life without doing any work,’ he advised people to contribute towards productivity and equally share the earnings, as propagated by Siddarameshwara.  “Until the egalitarian society is not built, the demands of oppressed classes shall remain. To address the inadequacy, the Government implemented five guarantee schemes for the welfare of seven crore population of the State and is reaching the benefits to the people without any discrimination,” he added.

Regretting that caste system cannot be eradicated easily, Siddaramaiah recalled the popular vachana of 12th century social reformer Basavanna — ‘Ivanarava Ivanarava Ivanaravanendenisidayya, iva nammava, iva nammava, iva nammavanendenisayya’. It is 800 years since this vachana was penned; has the caste system been eradicated in the society? asked CM Siddaramaiah, who gave a call for practicing scientific temperament to provide equal opportunity to those deprived of opportunities.

Sri Immadi Siddarameshwara Swamii of Bhovi Gurupeeth appealed to CM to accord permission to Bhovi community for mining, their hereditary occupation of breaking the boulders.

Kayaka Yogi Siddarameshwara Award for 2025-26 was conferred on writer Prof. S.G. Siddaramaiah, a native of Tumakuru. The book ‘Siddarama Belli Kirana’ authored by M. Ramappa, Chairman of Karnataka State Bhovi Development Corporation, was released.

Earlier, a procession of cultural troupes was taken out from Kote Anjaneyaswamy temple to Kalamandira via K.R. Circle and Devaraj Urs Road.

Minister for Sericulture K. Venkatesh, MLA Anil Chikkamadu, Kannada Book Authority Chairman Manasa, Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Ayub Khan, Mysore Paints and Varnish Chairman H.D. Ganesh, Zoo Authority of Karnataka Chairman S. Rangaswamy, Kannada and Culture Secretary J. Manjunath, Director Manjunath Swamy, Regional Commissioner Nitesh Patil, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Additional DC Aishwarya and others were present.