Mysuru, Nov 7: Public Works Department Minister HC Mahadevappa on Monday said only feudalists and communalists can call Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as casteist and anti-Dalit.
Addressing a gathering during the 530th birth anniversary celebration of saint-poet Kanakadasa here, Mahadevappa, also the district in-charge minister, without taking any names said that a section of fundamentalists describes Siddaramaiah as a casteist.
"Siddaramaiah has introduced various programmes for the benefit all sections of society. How can he be a casteist? Those who don't want any positive change in the society, those who advocate communalism and feudalism will comment against Siddaramaiah," the minister said.
It can be noted that former minister V Srinivas Prasad, who crossed over to the BJP after he was dropped from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet in June 2016, had recently described the chief minister as casteist.
Prasad had claimed that Siddaramaiah has been systematically suppressing the Dalits as well as the Muslim leaders in the Congress, while only helping people of his own community people, including former IPS officer Kempaiah.
The minister said Siddaramaiah-led state government has been spreading values and teachings of Kanakadasa across the state. Kanakadas has preached humanity through his works. He advocated that humanity is greater than any community, Mahadevappa said.
MLA M K Somashekar, in his keynote address, said casteism is rampant in the society and Kanakadasa had questioned it. Somashekar said only a few people are following the principles of Budda, Basavanna, Kanaka and Ambedkar.
Tanveer Sait, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, promised to establish a Kanaka School if the Kaginele Kanaka Guru Peetha gives a proposal.
Shivanandapuri Swami of Kaginele Kanaka Guru Peetha, MLA Vasu, writer C Naganna, Mysuru Urban Development Authority chairman D Dhruvakumar, Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited chairman H A Venkatesh, Zoo Authority of Karnataka chairperson Mallige Veeresh, and Deputy Commissioner D Randeep were present.
Earlier in the day, a procession with a portrait of Kanakadasa was taken out from the Kote Anjaneya Swamy temple. Folk artists performed as the procession passed through K R Circle, Devaraj Urs Road.
Kanakadasa Jayanti was also celebrated in Hassan, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts.
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