RSS belongs to upper castes: Siddaramaiah
Former chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah on Tuesday called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP, and its affiliates an “association of upper castes” and the Sangh Parivar cannot give lessons on patriotism as it had opposed the national flag, song and constitution.
Former chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah on Tuesday called the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP, and its affiliates an “association of upper castes” and the Sangh Parivar cannot give lessons on patriotism as it had opposed the national flag, song and constitution.
“From the beginning, I have been opposing the RSS as it is an association of upper castes as it believes in the Chaturvarna system (caste system). This system believes in the supremacy of castes and if it continues, this will be the end of equality, lead to exploitation and slavery,” Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah also called prime minister Narendra Modi a “dramatist” and the entire campaign of “Har Ghar Tiranga” a “drama” as the Sangh Parivar and all its affiliates do not believe in the national flag.
“Have Golwalkar or Hedgewar fought for this country’s freedom, been to jail or sacrificed their lives for it?... Narendra Modi was born in free India, while I at least was born 12 days ahead of Independence; these people today, preach to us about patriotism and independence,” he said.
The BJP reacted sharply, saying the Congress leader was seeking “cheap publicity”.
Siddaramaiah said all the organisations under the Sangh Parivar like RSS, BJP, Hindu Mahasabha, Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Bajarang Dal believe in the caste system and had opposed the national flag.
The former chief minister said VD Savarkar, MS Golwalkar, KB Hedgewar and others in the RSS, including its mouthpiece Organiser, had opposed the national tricolour.
“For about 52 years, the national flag was not hoisted on RSS headquarters at Nagpur in Maharashtra,” Siddaramaiah said. “Theirs (Sangh Parivar) is complete drama, Modi is a great dramatist... we should expose these fake patriots, only the Congress has morality... we should inform people and make them aware,” Siddaramaiah said.
The statements come days before the 75th Independence Day for which Modi, in his latest Mann Ki Baat, appealed to the country’s population to change their social media display picture to the national flag as part of the celebrations and a show of unity and pride.
With elections in Karnataka barely a year away, the Congress and in particular Siddaramaiah, has intensified attacks on the BJP over the latter’s caste mindset which is against social justice.
Siddaramaiah had raked up the caste debate in the recent killings in Dakshina Kannada in which he had said the children of big politicians will be given plum positions but only the children of the poor and backward classes are forced to take up arms and be killed in the process. He had made a similar argument just before the 2018 elections when the BJP targeted the Congress for its inaction over the killings of at least 23 right-wing workers during that time.
Karnataka minister and BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan said Siddaramaiah should spread positive messages when the entire country was eagerly awaiting the 75th year of Independence and not issue such statements for “cheap publicity”.
“If there is anyone in this country who is good at drama and performs, it is Siddaramaiah. He has good experience with it and projects it on others,” Narayan said, reacting to statements made by the opposition leader.
He said celebrating the 75th year of Independence was everyone’s duty and it was wrong to find fault in that.
“You (Siddaramaiah) did not do anything good, so do not create confusion in the society. You are not capable of doing any good,” he added. The minister said Siddaramaiah should talk about what he has done and not give such false statements.