Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slams RSS for its divisive politics

Bengaluru, Nov 12 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday slammed the RSS for its divisive ideology.

He said he always stood by the Kuruba community, to which he belongs, and toiled for the Kuruba Sangha to establish Kaginele Peetha.

"I established the Kaginele Peetha as the voice of all oppressed communities. I have always opposed the Sanatanist RSS, caste hierarchy, and superstition," Siddaramaiah said.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the new building of the Karnataka Kuruba Sangha and student hostel at Gandhinagar.

"My clear objective was to ensure education and hostel facilities for children of the Kuruba community. The ideology of the RSS divides society and sustains the caste system. It is an ideology that opposes the working classes. That is precisely why I have opposed the RSS from the beginning. It was with this conviction that I proposed that the Kaginele Peetha should become a centre for all oppressed communities," he said.

He recalled that the Kuruba Sangha had for long demanded the demolition of the 100-year-old structure and construction of a new building.

"After consulting everyone, the old structure was demolished, and the foundation for the new building has been laid. The construction will be completed within 18 months without compromising on quality," the chief minister said.

According to Siddaramaiah, many who studied in the old hostel have gone on to become officers and even judges.

"I became an MLA in 1983 and a minister in 1984. As transport minister, I organised the 500th birth anniversary of saint and poet, Kanakadasa in 1988. It was then that I decided the community should have a Gurapeetha. The association was then burdened with a loan of Rs three crore, which we cleared. That is history, and everyone should understand it," he stated.

The new building will also include a hostel, the CM said.

Recalling the challenges around Kuruba Sangha, Siddaramaiah said he had not entered politics, the Kuruba Sangha building would not have survived, the Kaginele Peetha would not have existed, and it would have been impossible to protect Byrappa’s temple and community lands from "real estate goons." The CM told the gathering that the government is facilitating the construction of 600 community halls for the Kuruba community and has secured land and buildings for the Sangha in places such as Mysuru, Hubballi, Shivamogga, and Davanagere.

He said he worked not only for the Kuruba community but for the upliftment of all oppressed communities, including the backward classes, Dalits, and minorities.

"The Bhagya schemes introduced during my first tenure as chief minister and the Guarantee programmes launched in my second term are meant for the poor across all castes. My goal is to build an inclusive society that ensures development for all," the chief minister said.

Siddaramaiah also recalled the death threats he received for saving the Kuruba Sangha.

"In the past, I faced death threats from Puttaswamy, who was associated with rowdy Kotwal Ramachandra. I was threatened not to involve myself in Kuruba Sangha affairs, but I was not afraid," the CM said. PTI GMS GMS KH