BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna on Sunday said he will soon meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and take up the matter of naming the Tumakuru railway station after Sri Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt.
Somanna, who is also the Tumakuru MP, thanked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Tumakuru District in-charge Minister Dr G Parameshwara for giving the state government’s consent in this regard.
“The Ministry of Railways has resolved to name the station after the ‘walking god’, Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, and had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which has sought the consent of the state government.
Though late, after a delay of six months, the state government took action for which I am indebted to the CM and the district in-charge minister,” he told reporters here. The railway station will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 89 crore, he added.
Detailing the yeoman service of the swamiji in its letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the state’s infrastructure development department said the government has approved the proposal to rename the Tumakuru railway station as Dr Shri Shri Shivakumara Swamiji railway station.
The Sri Siddaganga Mutt has a very prominent place in the hearts of people belonging to all communities in Karnataka. For many decades, the mutt has rendered great service to the underprivileged and downtrodden by providing food, shelter and education for their upliftment, the department wrote.
Padmabhusha Dr Shri Shri Shivakumara Mahaswamiji became the head of the mutt in 1930 and for nearly 87 years, he rendered great service to society and is recognised as a “walking god”. He served thousands of orphan children from various castes and creeds and provided them with good education, food and shelter.
The mutt is revered by crores of devotees. The institution headed by him was admired by dignitaries such as presidents and prime ministers, who visited the mutt and acknowledged the yeoman services rendered by the swamiji, the department said and requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to consider the proposal positively.