SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES
Known for his humour and hard-hitting poetry, Siddalingaiah,
was member of Karnataka’s legislative council twice.
Noted poet and Dalit rights activist who used his poetry to
raise issues of social injustices, Dr Siddalingaiah, was conferred the Padma
Shri.
The award was conferred posthumously. The poet had died in
June last year after he contracted Covid- 19. He was 67.
Known for his humour and hard-hitting poetry, Siddalingaiah,
was member of Karnataka’s legislative council twice.
His poem, Yarige Banthu, ellige bantu, nalvathayelara
swatantrya (who got, where did it come, (19)47’s Independence), propelled him
as one of the leading voices of the movement, converting the song into an
anthem which is used even now in protests and other rallies of backward
communities. The poet was one of the most prominent voices for social justice
and was one of the co-founders of the Dalit Sangharsha Samithi.
“Posthumous Padma Shri honour for people’s poet S
Siddalingaiah in the field of literature and education,” Basavaraj Bommai, the
chief minister of Karnataka said in a post on Twitter.
“The Padma Shri award has been awarded posthumously to noted
literature personality, Dalit poet for his outstanding service. It is a matter
of pride for the entire state that he was conferred this award for all his
achievements,” BS Yediyurappa, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
In his condolence message last year, Yediyurappa had said
that Siddalingaiah narrated the pain of Dalits through his writings and
awakened them. He endured the pain and his poems set the required blaze to the
Dalit movement, he had said.