The Hindu : An `Ajatashatru' turns 80

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

An `Ajatashatru' turns 80

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Jan. 6. V.S.Krishna Iyer, the foremost political leader thrown up by Bangalore in recent decades, turned 80 today and it was left to some of his colleagues in the Janata Dal (United) and the Navanirmana Vedike to felicitate him.

A former Mayor, Cabinet minister, member of the Lok Sabha, and one of the very few political leaders to espouse the cause of the urban middle class, Vijalapuram Sesha Iyer Krishna Iyer was born at Yellagondanahalli in the Mulbagal taluk of Kolar District on January 6, 1923.

Mr. Krishna Iyer is an `Ajatashatru' in politics and a byword for decency, a fast vanishing trait in political parties.

In a way it is wrong to describe him as a politician as he is more of a public figure. He is one of the few surviving links with the Congress of pre-Independence day.

He was associated with the legendary K.T.Bashyam, the greatest name in the freedom movement in princely Mysore, and perhaps the tallest political leader produced by Bangalore.

Veteran journalists covering the two Houses of the Legislature have not failed to notice their desideratum, members who can raise their voice for the urban population, especially the middle class. Mr. Krishna Iyer was one of them and was in the company of his long time associate in public affairs, the late T.R.Shamanna, K.M.Naganna, Abdul Sattar Sait (former MLC and Congress leader), P.Ramdev, and A.Lakshmisagar, former minister and JD (S) leader.

Mr. Krishna Iyer was one of the few MPs from Karnataka to be active on the floor of Parliament and also to make constructive suggestions and reasoned criticisms.

His term was unfortunately restricted to four years as he was one of the 106 Opposition MPs who resigned from the Lok Sabha in 1989 over the Bofors scandal.

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