Basavaraj Horatti Proposes Museum for Former Chief Ministers

Bengaluru: Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman, Basavaraj S. Horatti, has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging the state government to ensure equal respect for all former Chief Ministers of Karnataka.

Referring to official correspondences dated August 19, 2023, and January 16, 2024, Horatti emphasized the significant contributions of Karnataka’s 30 Chief Ministers to the state’s progress and development. While some late leaders are honored with statues in the Vidhana Soudha premises, others remain unacknowledged, with no statues or commemorations on their birth and death anniversaries.

Horatti noted that several prominent leaders, including Kadidal Manjappa, S.R. Kanthi, B.D. Jatti, R. Gundu Rao, Veerendra Patil, S. Bangarappa, Ramakrishna Hegde, S.R. Bommai, J.H. Patel, and Dharam Singh, have not received formal honors.

In his letter, Horatti proposed the establishment of a gallery in the banquet hall of Vidhana Soudha featuring life-sized portraits of all former Chief Ministers, along with details of their tenure. Drawing parallels with the Parliament House in New Delhi, which honors former Prime Ministers with portraits and a museum showcasing their contributions, he suggested Karnataka adopt a similar approach.

Horatti highlighted that such initiatives would ensure due respect to all former Chief Ministers and preserve their legacy for future generations. The proposal also includes establishing a museum to showcase their achievements.

He urged the Chief Minister to approve the pending proposal, which had already been forwarded to the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, and initiate steps to implement this plan at the earliest.

The letter underscores the need for equitable recognition of the contributions made by past leaders in shaping the state.