Time Siddaramaiah became a Philosopher-Statesman

Congress MLA from Mysuru’s Chamaraja Constituency K. Harishgowda has ‘demanded’ that the present Princess Road, popularly known as KRS Road (Krishnaraja Sagar Road) be named after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He made this demand on Nov. 13, 2024 while presiding over a function to lay the foundation stone for the new building of Maharani’s Science College. Obviously, he had his own reasons to make this demand.

Siddaramaiah is the only Chief Minister in the country, who has provided maximum amount of money for the promotion of education and healthcare, according to Harishgowda. He justified his ‘demand’ saying, it was Siddaramaiah who is responsible for building Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, District Hospital on the lines of the present K.R. Hospital, Princess Krishnajammanni Super Speciality Hospital, the Trauma Care Centre for accident victims, Peripheral Centre of Kidwai Memorial Cancer Institute and more. He even suggested that this Hospital Cluster should be named as ‘Siddaramaiah Health Hub.’

All that Harishgowda said was indeed true. It was Siddaramaiah who built a new massive Maharani’s Commerce and Management College for Women in Paduvarahalli grounds and now foundation was laid for a new building of Maharani’s Science College in the same premises. Indeed, a long-awaited commendable step.

Siddaramaiah seems to have special interest in the areas of Education and Health. But for his generous grant of over Rs. 40 crore for the city’s Police Public School in Udayagiri, a brainchild of former IGP Kempaiah IPS, such a premier institution for the benefit of the children of Police personnel and also the public would not have been possible.

Therefore, as MLA Harishgowda rightly suggested, Siddaramaiah’s name should be remembered by the posterity in a befitting manner. But it is difficult to agree with MLA Harishgowda’s suggestions, though all will agree with his sentiments.

In the meanwhile, news is that it is decided to install a 50-feet tall bronze statue of CM Siddaramaiah in Belagavi, the Winter Capital of Karnataka. This culture of and obsession with statues is best avoided when we look at the fate of many such statues of politicians all over the world. Same could be said of naming of roads and circles. See the fate of Mahatma Gandhi Road (M.G. Road) which originated from the Law Courts where there is an apology of a Gandhiji’s bust. The matter went to the Court and the original name Vani Vilasa Road got its name back. So M.G. Road got shortened to start from JSS Hospital up to the MRC (Race Club) Five Lights Circle. From there, it is Narasimharaja Boulevard, popularly known as Lalitha Mahal Palace Road, up to T. Narasipur Road Junction.

Look at the Circle or Junction on KRS Road near Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy Temple and the Vontikoppal Police Station. There are two signboards — one is of Congress politician B.C. Lingaiah, a former President of Town Municipal Council and another of late B.S. Chikkannadasa, the Founder of the nearby Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy Temple. There are other such cases at different areas of our city.

As expected, there are objections to Harishgowda’s proposal from many individuals. In fact, after MLA Harishgowda spoke on this proposal on Nov. 13, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Council took a decision in this regard on Nov. 22, 2024 to name the road between Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy Temple and the Junction of the Hotel Royal Inn as ‘Siddaramaiah Health Road’ (ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಮಾರ್ಗ).

The first objection came from the Mysore Palace and that too from Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. He claimed that this road has already been named as ‘Princess Road’ after two Princesses of Wadiyar Dynasty, namely Princess Krishnajammanni and Princess Cheluvajammanni. And the reason was the establishment of Princess Krishnajammanni Sanatorium (TB Hospital), known as PK TB Sanatorium on that road.

Therefore, this Princess Road is the symbol of the Wadiyar Dynasty’s munificence and service to public health. This legacy of Wadiyar Dynasty should not be erased by the later day politicians, Yaduveer said and rightly so. The houses and properties on this road (commonly known as KRS Road) write their address, even now as Princess Road.

When such is the public perception and acceptance, is it proper and fair or even justifiable to autocratically change the name? Certainly Not. The PK TB Hospital has saved millions of lives over the years. Now to obliterate the memory of these Princesses, one of whom died of TB along with three of her daughters, will be most unfair and even unkind.

However, there are other ways of honouring the name and service of Siddaramaiah to our city. For example, a world-class auditorium and Art Centre like the one on Marine Drive, Nariman Point, in Mumbai. I was in Mumbai (then Bombay) when it was conceived and being constructed in 1969. A top-class Centre for Art and Culture by the Tatas, with many innovative ideas for those days known as National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) or Tata Theatre.

It has a seating capacity of 1,000 with a semi-circular thrust stage. It has been the centre for restoring and promoting artistic heritage in the field of music, dance, theatre, films, literature, orchestral concerts, opera, jazz etc., and of course, photography and works of art by artists of fame. Such a monument will be everlasting, no matter what kind of government comes to power. Road names may be changed, statues may be pulled down but an Art Centre will not be demolished. It will stay.

Siddaramaiah’s admirers should look at this kind of a memorial to perpetuate the memory of their leader and benefactor which no autocrat nor adversary can bring down. Siddaramaiah himself must advice his followers to think on these lines to make people remember his legacy for our State, his own district and city. Will he?

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