Honour for civic warriors: Congress MLC suggests pourakarmika for Dasara inauguration
Congress MLC B.S. Shivanna has urged the Karnataka government to have the 2026 Mysuru Dasara inaugurated by a pourakarmika (municipal sanitation worker), in recognition of their indispensable role in maintaining urban cleanliness and public health.
In a letter addressed to Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, who is also the Mysuru district in-charge minister, Mr. Shivanna noted that the festival has traditionally been inaugurated by eminent personalities, including litterateurs, political leaders, spiritual figures, and philanthropists. He proposed that this year, the honour be conferred on a pourakarmika to acknowledge their dedicated public service.
Describing sanitation workers as 'pourasenanis' (civic warriors), Mr. Shivanna said they are among the most essential yet least recognised contributors to urban life. Their responsibilities include sweeping roads, clearing drains, collecting and transporting waste, and maintaining public spaces. He emphasised that these tasks form the first line of defence against disease, directly contributing to cleaner, healthier, and more liveable cities.
With rapid urbanisation and the growing challenge of solid waste management, the role of pourakarmikas has become even more significant, he added.
Recalling that the 2022 Mysuru Dasara was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu, who offered floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari atop Chamundi Hills, Mr. Shivanna said that inviting a pourakarmika to inaugurate this year's festivities would send a powerful message of dignity, social inclusion, and respect for marginalised communities.
The Congress leader has earlier made similar suggestions at the national level. He had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposing that the Ayodhya Ram temple be inaugurated by a pourakarmika, or that the President of India be the son or daughter of a sanitation worker, as a symbolic tribute to their service.
Mr. Shivanna has also taken practical steps to support the community, organising health camps for pourakarmikas and distributing laptops to their children pursuing higher education.
The proposal has sparked discussions about the recognition of essential workers and the symbolic value of such gestures in a democratic society. While the final decision rests with the state government, the suggestion highlights the ongoing conversation about dignity of labour and social inclusion in public ceremonies.
