BELAGAVI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has invited former US President Barack Obama to address a joint session of the state legislature in Belagavi in the last week of December, on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the Congress Plenary presided over by Mahatma Gandhi in Belagavi in 1924.
Speaking to the media in Belagavi on Tuesday, Karnataka Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism Minister HK Patil said that Siddaramaiah had already written a letter to Obama, inviting him to visit Belagavi on December 26 or 27, or on any date between January and October 2 of next year, so that a joint session could be held. Patil added that the state government would organize a series of events under the ‘Gandhi Bharat’ programme, which will run until October 2, 2025.
To make the programme popular on an international level, Patil said the state government decided to hold a joint legislature session and invite Obama, who holds special regard for Mahatma Gandhi, to address it.
Patil, who is also the Chairman of the organising committee for the Gandhi Bharat programme, stated that a series of events will be organised across the state over the next year. He mentioned that a mega photo exhibition showcasing the life of Gandhiji would be organized during the upcoming joint session in Belagavi.
He also highlighted the need to establish Gandhi Study Centres at all universities in the state and emphasized that the government should complete the setup of Gandhi Bhavans in all districts.
Former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily, who is also the honorary president of the organising committee, said a centenary garden and bhavan would be established in memory of the 1924 Congress Plenary. He proposed the creation of a statue and memorial of Gandhiji, as well as a museum, at the site where the session was held 100 years ago.