Mysuru: Following the decision of the District Authorities to celebrate the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister of Karnataka D. Devaraj Urs on Aug. 20 at Kalamandira, the admirers of the former Dy.SP K.S. Sadanand have made an appeal to the Deputy Commissioner to honour K.S. Sadanand on the occasion for ‘Saving the life of CM Devaraj Urs at a critical juncture.’ 

K.S. Sadanand himself in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner dated today Aug. 16, 2019, made an appeal in this regard. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Sadanand said that he was given a certificate of appreciation by the Department of Backward Classes Welfare when the centenary of Devaraj Urs was celebrated in 2015. 

According to Sadanand and the reports, on 18.02.1978, farmers of Mandya had waylaid the then CM Devaraj Urs, when he was in his motorcade, demanding that the order issued by the State Government to have the Varuna Canal project be cancelled saying that the project would affect the farmers of Mandya growing three crops in a year as they were doing at that time. 

According to Sadanand, the then DC of Mandya Chiranjeevi Singh and SP Rajen Gupte were not able to control the mob and the Chief Minister’s convoy was detained for nearly more than two hours. The Mandya DC and SP then requested DIG Mysore K.U. Balakrishna Rao to send additional forces to enable the Chief Minister’s convoy to move to Mysore. 

Accordingly, the DIG sent Dy.SP Sadanand along with a KSRP van to Mandya. The farmers, according to Sadanand, started pelting stones at the KSRP van when he directed the KSRP men to get down from the van and clear the mob by lathicharging. 

Sadanand was able to clear the mob within a short time and then took the Chief Minister in the KSRP van safely to Metropole Hotel in Mysore. 

In appreciation of Sadanand’s presence of mind and timely action in saving the then CM from a difficult situation, the Government of Karnataka had given him a certificate on 20.8.2015 at the time of celebrating the birth centenary of D. Devaraj Urs. 

Speaking to SOM, Sadanand recalled how the then Minister R.L. Jalappa in Devaraj Urs’ Cabinet was given Rs. 2 lakh along with the Certificate of Award while, Sadanand was given only a certificate. 

It is in this context, Sadanand has written to the Deputy Commissioner that at least now his service to the then Chief Minister be recognised with a similar cash award while at the same time requesting for a Kannada Rajyotsava Award.