Bengaluru: A leader who keeps his intellect under his own control will succeed. One who surrenders his intellect into someone else’s hands will fail. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community is one such society that has got leadership,” opined former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai.
He was speaking today near Yelahanka after inaugurating the 5th Annual General Meeting of the KVL Employees’ Credit Co-operative Society, the KVL Academy, unveiling the KVL Matrimony platform, and launching KVL Credit Online Membership here on Sunday.
He said all of them have come from different backgrounds, with different education, and through dedicated work in their own professions, they have risen to this level, serving in high positions in various departments of Karnataka. A cultural experience has to be built like a bundle and then shared. Birth and death are not in their hands, but life is in their hands. How they lead this life successfully is important. No matter how modern they become, they must never forget their culture. Many people do not know the difference between civilization and culture. A foreign philosopher once said – what they possess is civilization; what they become is culture.
The former CM said from civilization comes knowledge, from knowledge science, from science technology, and today artificial intelligence has arrived. But what are they becoming? Where is society heading? Why are human values disappearing? One must reflect on what contribution he is making in this regard.
“You may be comfortable in your own way, but government is a system that must provide support to people’s lives. Values must be added to decision-making. Officers are the real decision-makers; politicians only frame policy, but implementation rests with officers. A poet once said – between ideas and practices lies a shadow. It is the officers who must remove that shadow. If any decision benefits the poor and marginalized, it must be taken boldly. Along with obeying laws, officers must also have the courage to frame decisions that shape future laws. They must think of what can be done to benefit others”.
Bommai said when there is only an organization, no new ideology will emerge. Leadership arises when there are problems. They must resolve issues with good thought. They come from a heritage of nearly 900 years of history. Coming from the background of Basavanna, they must reflect on how they are progressing. In the 6th Vikramaditya inscription of the Kalyana Chalukyas, it is mentioned that those who rule and those who administer are different. But today, rulers want to administer and administrators want to rule – this is creating confusion in the system. Whenever they draft a policy, they must think whether it benefits Karnataka or not. If policy makers do not think deeply, mistakes occur. A leader who keeps his intellect in his own hands succeeds; one who hands it over to others fails. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community is a society that has acquired such leadership.
He said if they stand firmly on your individuality, they can definitely reform the system. Democracy is a system that provides scope for free thought. No other system allows this. Independent thinking must be nurtured; it is the root of our culture. Independent thought leads to social thought. By organizing, they are doing good work. Let the organization grow in the best way. Every member of this institution must not get disturbed by what others say. The elders have laid such a strong intellectual foundation. Even before the English Parliament came into being, they had their own Anubhava Mantapa.
On this occasion, MLA and Chairman of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation Vijayananda Kashappanavar, head of Shivaganga Matha of Melanagavi Dr. Malay Shantamuni Deshikendra Shivacharya Swamiji, DX Max Chairman S. P. Dayananda, KVL Employees’ Credit Co-operative Society President Dr. Suresh Gowda, Vice-President Dr. Ravi Tirlapur, and other office-bearers were present.
