Bengaluru, Aug 29 (PTI) Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday described former Karnataka CM Ramakrishna Hegde as a great statesman, nationalist and creator of leaders, saying the state emerged as a role model for governance under his leadership.
Paying tribute to Hegde on his 100th birth anniversary at Vidhana Soudha here, Radhakrishnan recalled his contribution to decentralisation and highlighted the Karnataka Zilla Parishads, Taluk Panchayat Samitis, Mandal Panchayats and Nyaya Panchayats Act, 1985, which brought governance closer to the people.
“Great leaders can transform a moment. Great institution-builders transform generations,” the Vice-President said.
Radhakrishnan said Hegde’s decentralisation vision was subsequently strengthened
through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, which gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions.
He also recalled Hegde’s emphasis on accountability through the strengthening of the Lokayukta in Karnataka, stressing that public office was a stewardship of trust.
He said Hegde believed that strong states strengthen India, strong local governments strengthen States and empowered citizens strengthen local governments.
Addressing the centenary programme, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced that the medical college in Uttara Kannada district would be named after Hegde and that a major road in Bengaluru’s Shivaram Karanth Layout would also bear his name.
Shivakumar also said the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department had been asked to formulate a scheme for the “Ramakrishna Hegde Best Panchayat Award” every year on Hegde’s birth anniversary to recognise the best-performing panchayat.
“The objective is to carry Hegde’s concept of Panchayat Raj and his vision of rural development to the next generation,” he said.
Describing Hegde as a leader who created leaders rather than followers, Shivakumar said, “A leader’s job is not merely to create followers. True leadership is about creating leaders. This was the fundamental principle of Ramakrishna Hegde.” He said Karnataka’s experiments in Panchayat Raj had become a model for the country and subsequently inspired the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments during the Rajiv Gandhi government.
Comparing Karnataka’s budget during Hegde’s tenure with the present, Shivakumar said the state’s budget was around Rs 3,687 crore during 1982-87, compared to around Rs 4.50 lakh crore under the government today.
He said revenue collection was also far lower then, while projects that were once small had now grown into projects worth thousands of crores of rupees.
The Chief Minister credited Hegde’s policies with helping expand medical and engineering education in Karnataka.
“Today, Karnataka is producing around 13,940 doctors and more than 1.25 lakh engineers every year,” he said, adding that Hegde-era policies had also facilitated the growth of private educational institutions.
Shivakumar recalled that he entered politics in Kanakapura amid the influence of Hegde and P G R Sindhia.
“I began my political life during the period of Hegde’s influence. I lost one election. Otherwise, I would have been an MLA for the ninth time today,” he said, describing it as his good fortune to have continuously received people’s blessings from Kanakapura.
He said Hegde’s political influence extended across party lines, with leaders such as Siddaramaiah, R V Deshpande, Basavaraj Rayareddy and B L Shankar having grown through his political school.
“Hegde did not merely create followers; he created leaders. The hundreds of leaders sitting here are proof of that,” Shivakumar said.
Referring to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s observation that Hegde possessed the ideals of Rama and the statesmanship of Krishna, Shivakumar said there was much for contemporary leaders to learn from his political life.
“His message that power should be considered an opportunity to serve the people remains relevant even today,” he said.
Shivakumar said his government will carry forward Ramakrishna Hegde’s conduct and thoughts, value-based politics, Panchayat Raj and development vision.
The programme was attended by former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries, besides Hegde’s family members and friends. PTI GMS ROH
