The political scene is heating up in Karnataka ahead of the Lok Sabha election, with the Congress on Sunday asking people to reject the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its stand on the Constitution even as poll preparation in the saffron party is under way.
Urging people to discard the BJP-RSS for dividing society and opposing the Constitution, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the backward classes, Dalits, and oppressed communities should clearly identify their enemy. “Develop self-respect. Identify the enemy of the backward classes, Dalits, and oppressed classes and discard them. Teach people who are opposed to the Constitution or who want to change the Constitution a lesson. If we protect the Constitution, it will protect us,” he said addressing a convention of the oppressed classes, organised in Chitradurga by the Karnataka Backward Classes Federation and Karnataka Oppressed Caste-Communities Federation.
He said the BJP and the RSS have opposed the Mandal commission report, and that the two are opposed to the concept of social justice and equal opportunities. He said, “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had warned that the power should not go into hands of those opposed to the Constitution, reservation, and social justice. We should not forget this warning. If the Constitution was not there, BJP leaders such as C.T. Ravi, K.S. Eshwarappa, and R. Ashok would not have entered legislature but be working in some agricultural fields.” He said that people also oppose him because a shepherd’s son has become the Chief Minister and implemented people-friendly schemes that reach all castes and communities.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the caste system denied literacy to the oppressed, resulting in social and economic inequality in society. The ideals of the Constitution and Ambedkar are to remove the caste-driven inequalities, he said, adding that it was for the same reason that vested interests want to change the Constitution to continue the oppression. “On one hand they want to change the Constitution and on the other, they want to remove reservation. That is why a lesson should be taught to those who are opposed to the Constitution.”
Terming the convention as historic, he said: “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is fighting to provide justice to all sections of society and equality will be provided to all under the leadership of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. It is the commitment of the Congress to empower the oppressed. There is no reason for anyone to be anxious and the Congress will protect all.” He also said that the five guarantees the Congress government had empowered people.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the Congress was the strength of the nation and if Congress came to power, it would represent power to all communities.
