Lauding the courage and heroics of Rani Abbakka, the 16th century queen of Ullal who fought against the Portugese, Sitharaman said the Union government has taken steps to document the contributions of many unknown fighters who fought against imperial forces, reported PTI.

As part of Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the government has compiled a digital district repository with 14,500 stories, highlighting places linked with the freedom struggle, she said, reported PTI.

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The Union Ministry of Culture has also tied up with Amar Chitra Katha to bring out three books on the role of women in freedom struggle, women in the constituent assembly and tribal leaders of freedom struggle, reported PTI.

The finance minister expressed the hope that a Sanik School would be opened in the name of Rani Abbakka in coastal Karnataka. She congratulated artist Vasudev Kamath for the portrait of Rani Abbakka, used for the commemorative postal stamp, reported PTI.

Sri Kshetra Dharmastala dharmadhikari (hereditary administrator) Veerendra Heggade and chief post master general (Karnataka Circle) S Rajendra Kumar were present, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday slammed the Karnataka government over an incident in Belagavi where a woman was assaulted and paraded naked, saying under Congress' rule, there in no justice for SCs and STs.

The woman was allegedly assaulted, paraded naked, and tied to an electric pole in Vantamuri village of Belagavi district on December 11 after her son eloped with a girl who was going to get engaged with someone else, according to the Karnataka Police.

"In @INCIndia there is no 'nyay' for the SCs and STs. The recent incident in Belgavi, Karnataka falls in the same category as those repeated atrocities against the Dalits seen till recently in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. For Congress the downtrodden are just a votebank," Sitharaman said in a post on X.

The BJP has set up a five-member fact-finding panel in connection with the incident in Belagavi.

Eight people have been arrested and a hunt is on for the eight others allegedly involved in the case.

(With inputs from PTI)