Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Priyank Kharge, has strongly condemned remarks made by expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. Yatnal’s controversial statement suggested that ritualistic norms within the Hindu religion would not permit a Dalit woman to offer floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari in Mysuru.
Taking to social media, Minister Kharge expressed his bewilderment at the silence from BJP leaders on these overtly casteist comments. He highlighted the apparent hypocrisy, noting that these same leaders had previously criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for stating that inequalities exist within the Hindu faith.
Kharge asserted that Yatnal’s remarks weren’t isolated but rather a direct reflection of the true ideology held by the RSS.
In a powerful critique of what he termed ‘regressive thinking’, Kharge posed critical questions: Are Dalits not considered an integral part of the Hindu religion? Is this underlying sentiment why President Droupadi Murmu was reportedly excluded from the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony in Ayodhya, or why former President Ramnath Kovind was allegedly denied entry into certain temples? Kharge concluded by invoking Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s profound declaration that he would not die a Hindu, despite being born into the faith, directly linking such discriminatory attitudes to Ambedkar’s stance.