Religious heads representing the most backward classes communities participating in a State-level conference of the Ati Hindulida Mathadheeshara Mahasabha in Kalaburagi on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI
Ganiga community seer Sri Poornananda Puri Mahaswami has sai that consecutive governments that came to power under the banner of the AHINDA (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) ideology have failed to address the concerns of backward classes and have instead done injustice to the very communities they claimed to represent.
Speaking after inaugurating a two-day State-level conference of the Ati Hindulida Mathadheeshara Mahasabha in Kalaburagi on Sunday, the seer said that backward classes were kept away from political and social power between 1947 and 1972.
He credited the former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs for bringing backward classes into the political mainstream through measures aimed at advancing social justice.
Describing Urs’ tenure as a “golden period” for backward classes, he said that the changes initiated during his administration enabled five leaders from backward communities to become Chief Ministers over the following two decades.
Referring to successive governments that espoused the AHINDA ideology, Sri Poornananda Puri said that several issues concerning appointments to backward classes commissions and State academies remain unresolved despite leaders such as D. Devaraj Urs, S. Bangarappa, Dharam Singh, Veerappa Moily and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah having held office.
He also said that State governments invoking the legacy of Urs have failed to establish even a community hall or install a statue in his memory. He said that this has disappointed members of backward communities.
National secretary of the mahasabha Sri Doddendra Swami said that the conference will deliberate on issues related to the protection of the rights of backward classes, social justice and organisational strengthening and will adopt a series of resolutions.
The programme was presided over by the mahasabha’s State president Sri Pranavananda Swami. National president Sri Basavanagideva Sharana was present.
More than 25 religious heads of the most backward class communities from across the State participated in the conference.
Published – June 28, 2026 08:25 pm IST