The Samarpana Sankalpa Samavesha, a public meeting organised to commemorate two years of the Congress government in Karnataka, commenced in Hosapete on May 20 amidst continuous heavy rainfall.
While the majority of attendees took shelter under a vast waterproof canopy, many others struggled to find cover outside. The relentless downpour led to flooding and waterlogging in low-lying areas, as well as traffic congestion at various points across Hosapete.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who welcomed the dignitaries and the public, described the rain as a divine blessing for a government that, in his view, has fulfilled its promises.
“Rain may bring inconvenience and damage to some, but it is a boon for countless farmers. On this day, as we celebrate two years of good, people-centric governance under the Congress, the rain is blessing us,” he said.
Mr. Gowda informed the gathering that the All India Congress Committee president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah; and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, who had been scheduled to arrive at the venue via helicopter from the Jindal air strip at Toranagal, were forced to travel by road due to the adverse weather conditions.
They arrived on the stage by 12.30 p.m. Prior to their arrival, several ministers, including Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, and Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and Tourism H.K. Patil, apart from Mr. Gowda, addressed the crowd. Each presented a summary of key achievements within their respective departments over the past two years.
Mr. Gowda described the upgrading of unauthorised settlements — such as tandas and hattis — into revenue villages by issuing digital title deeds to residents, and thereby making them legal landowners, as a monumental achievement.
“Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi played a pivotal role in making this possible. Mr. Kharge, during his tenure as Revenue Minister of Karnataka, was the first to initiate the process of converting these unauthorised settlements into recognised revenue villages. Rahul Gandhi, during a visit to Karnataka nearly a decade ago, had assured residents of Lambani hamlets that he would do everything in his power to help them obtain title deeds. Today, the Siddaramaiah government has enacted a law to realise that promise. Today, we will distribute 1,11,111 title deeds to residents at this convention. They are digital title deeds that cannot be lost,” he said.
Published – May 20, 2025 01:54 pm IST
