"Will Never Go To BJP Even If They Offer...": Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that he will never join the BJP even if he is offered the position of President or Prime Minister of the country.

While speaking at the meeting of SC-ST activists and leaders held at the District Congress office to seek votes for Lok Sabha candidate M. Laxman, the CM said that political power comes only when we have ideological clarity. People should not fall for BJP-RSS. Shudras-Dalits and Women are not allowed inside the RSS sanctum sanctorum.

"Deve Gowda, who had said that he would leave the country if Modi became the Prime Minister, is now saying that he has an inseparable bond with Modi. He also said that politicians should have ideological clarity," added Mr Siddaramaiah.

Karnataka Chief Minister further said that BJP and RSS are against social justice. Therefore they do not like reservations. Reservation is not alms. It is the right of the oppressed communities. Reservation should exist as long as the caste system exists in the society.

The CM said, "Before independence and the British period, did we, the Shudras have the right to study? Did women have any rights? A woman had to burn herself alive immediately after the death of her husband. Such inhuman practices inspired by Manusmriti were prohibited by our constitution. Therefore, they want to bring back the Manusmirthi by making amendments to the constitution. The CM appealed to the people to understand this properly.

Shudras, Dalits and women are not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum. Senior BJP leaders like Nanje Gowda and BJP leader Gulihatti Shekhar have also openly said that they were not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the RSS. This is the truth. The Shudras are just being used. Therefore, Shudras, Dalits and women should not join to RSS, he said.

The CM asked 'Should we not criticise the JDS which has now joined hands with the RSS? Congress passed the law to allocate money in the budget according to the Dalit population. Our government has enacted a law that 24.1 per cent of development funds should be set aside. This progressive law has not been implemented by any BJP government in the country. Only our Congress government has done it. He also said that the community should be aware of all these facts.

Mr Siddaramaiah said that it was our Congress government that implemented reservations for Dalits in contracts. Is it not the same BJP that opposed the Mandal report and the reservation for backward classes? The SCP/ TSP Act was enacted by the Congress Government. Therefore, the CM appealed to the people to make Congress candidate M. Laxman win, instead of supporting those who provoke them emotionally and threaten the lives of the poor.

Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, KPCC Working President Tanveer Seth, Lok Sabha candidate Laxman and leaders of the SC/ST wing of KPCC were present on the stage.

Karnataka will have elections in two phases on April 26 and May 7 for 28 constituencies. The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19, with counting to be held on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)