Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah unveiled the statues of Lord Basaveshwara ji and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda ji at the State Assembly premises in Bengaluru, Karnataka today. Several dignitaries including the Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Basavaraj Bommai were present on the occasion.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that today is a historic day when statues of two great personalities have been unveiled in the premises of the State Assembly, who have spread the message of India not only in Karnataka but in the entire world. He said that these statues will continue to give Basavanna ji and Kempegowda ji’s message of social justice, democracy, good governance and development to those who get elected in the assembly. Shri Shah said that the statue of Lord Basaveshwar ji installed here will give a message to the whole world that India is the mother of democracy. He said that in the 12th century, none other than Jagatjyoti Basavanna had the courage to discuss the empowerment of the society by providing a single platform to the people from the lower to the highest strata of the society. Basavanna put many social reforms in front of the whole world and even today to understand the ideal life one has to live on the basis of Basavanna's thoughts. He said that by installing Basavanna's statue here, not only the Assembly but all people across the world who believe in democracy are honoured.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, through his thoughts laid the strong foundation for the upcoming ages. He said that with the support of Samrat Achyutaraya, Kempegowda ji decided to lay a strong foundation for Bengaluru, made it a city of lakes and explained the importance of water to the whole world by making hundreds of lakes here. He said that Kempegowda ji had laid the foundation of the global outlook of today's Bengaluru. Shri Shah said the statues of Jagatjyoti Basavanna on one side and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda on the other side in front Karnataka Legislative Assembly, will always keep the consciousness of the legislative assembly alive.

Shri Amit Shah said that today also marks the end of Namma Bengaluru Habba Festival and this festival has become a big cultural platform for many artists, writers, musicians and people who love culture. He said that due to the efforts of Shri Basavaraj Bommai and under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Karnataka has not looked back in the last 4 years in the field of development. He said that today with an investment of Rs 2.72 lakh crore, Karnataka ranks first in FDI across India. He said that Bengaluru has 39 start-ups with an asset value of more than $1 billion. Karnataka's share in India's space sector is 25 percent, Karnataka also ranks first in the innovation index today and in defense aircraft manufacturing, out of every 100 aircrafts made in the country, 75 aircrafts are made in Karnataka. Shri Shah said that the double engine government of Shri Narendra Modi at the Centre and Shri Basavaraj Bommai in Karnataka has taken Karnataka a long way in the last 4 years.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the double engine government under the leadership of Shri Modi will work to take Karnataka far ahead not only in the country but also in the world. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has done many things for the development of Bengaluru and so far Rs 13,000 crore has been released for the development of this city. He said that Rs 14,000 crore was given by the government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the Internal Suburban Railway and it was completed in 40 months. Shri Shah said that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has provided about Rs.70,000 crore for National Highways to connecting Hyderabad, Mysuru and Chennai with Bengaluru. He said that the previous government gave Rs.94000 crore rupees to Karnataka from 2009 to 2014 under the head of ‘tax devaluation’ and ‘grant-in-aid’, but under the same heads between 2014 and 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave Rs.2.25 Lakh crore to Karnataka, which is almost 140 percent higher.

Shri Amit Shah said that only those who are committed to development can do development, only those who have love for the country can end corruption and only those who have the desire to keep the country safe can make the country safe. He said that be it Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, Northeast or cross-border attacks, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with his strong determination, has ensured internal and external security of the country by eliminating all of them.

He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has taken the country on the path of prosperity and by becoming a $5 trillion economy in 2025, we will move ahead in the world, and by 2027 India will become the third largest economy in the world. He said that to take Karnataka forward, instead of quarreling parties, a group of disciplined patriots working under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is required.

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