In appropriation battle, BJP eyes national celebration of Rani Channamma’s victory

Bengaluru: Bengaluru: Union minister of state V Somanna has announced a proposal to get the Centre to officially celebrate Kittur Rani Channamma Vijayotsava, commemorating the 19th-century ruler's resistance against British rule.At Sankranti Harajatre organised by Harihar Veerashaiva-Lingayat Panchamasali Peeta, Somanna said he would raise the matter with PM Narendra Modi. Railways hosted the festival for the past two years after Somanna assumed charge as railways minister in 2024. He is now seeking to elevate the Oct 23 event into a nationally recognised celebration.
"Channamma is the first Indian ruler to revolt against British rule on Oct 23, 1824 — more than three decades before another valiant queen of India, Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai, led a rebellion in 1857," Somanna said. "So, this historic day deserves to be celebrated as a national event. I will request the PM to announce the state celebration of Kittur Rani Vijayotsava. I am sure he will oblige." If implemented, Channamma would become the first icon from Karnataka to be officially celebrated by the Centre. Her statue already stands in Parliament complex alongside national figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Dr BR Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Basavanna. The move would also add to Karnataka's practice of state-sponsored celebrations of historical icons through Jayantis, introduced a decade ago. Karnataka govt said it would welcome the move. "We don't want to see it from a political angle," said Shivaraj Tangadgi, Kannada and culture minister. Currently, the state celebrates 33 jayantis marking birth anniversaries of Rani Channamma (observed as a three-day Kittur Utsava from Oct 23) among others. Such celebrations have often carried political overtones. Siddaramaiah's decision to introduce Tipu Jayanti in 2013 had sparked controversy and was later dropped by the BJP govt. It was not revived after Siddaramaiah returned to the helm in 2023. Siddaramaiah has claimed credit for starting Channamma Jayanti in 2015. His govt also mandated the display of Basavanna's portrait in govt offices and declared him the cultural leader of Karnataka. Both are key icons of the Lingayat community. Channamma has been politically appropriated by the Panchamasalis, the largest Lingayat sub-sect, estimated to account for about 12% of Karnataka's 5.2-crore electorate. The celebrations remain contentious, with community elders asserting that Channamma's birth anniversary falls on Nov 14, not Oct 23. "Oct 23 marks her victory against the British army," said Swami Vichananada, of Veerashaiva-Lingayat Panchamasali Peeta. "The govt is wrongly celebrating her Jayanti on Oct 23. We are demanding that Kittur Utsava be celebrated between Oct 23 and Nov 14 for three weeks covering both her Jayanti and Vijayotsava." He said the Peeta welcomed Somanna's proposal and would again write to the PM seeking state-level celebration of Kittur Rani Channamma Vijayotsava.