Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently inaugurated a significant all-faith conference at the revered Dasoharathna Chakravarthi Basava Gopal Daneshwar Bandigani Math in Rabkavi, located in the Bagalkot district.
During his address, the Chief Minister urged everyone to abandon hatred and cultivate sentiments of love and tolerance across all castes and religions, highlighting this as the path to harmonious coexistence and global peace.
He acknowledged that “differences among various faith groups and castes have always existed,” but stressed the importance of “looking beyond these distinctions and embracing everyone with love, regardless of our differences.”
Siddaramaiah posed a series of rhetorical questions: “We are all human beings. Is the blood of Hindus and Muslims different? When we fall ill, we seek blood from anyone available. We readily accept blood from any religion to save our lives. Do we ever inquire about the caste or religion of the blood donor? Is that truly just? Is that what religion teaches?”
Reflecting on identity, he added, “Did I choose to be born into the Kuruba caste? My parents are Kurubas, and so I am a Kuruba. But fundamentally, I am a human being, and this truth applies to all.”
The Chief Minister criticized the caste system, stating it “created slavery” and led to “Shudra castes internalizing feelings of inferiority.” He pointed out the societal paradox where “we respect an uneducated person from upper castes but often look down upon an educated individual from deprived communities.” He asserted that this mindset “must change, and we must extend equal respect to everyone.”
“Education empowers us to live with self-respect,” he proclaimed, citing luminaries such as Sage Valmiki (author of the Ramayana), Maharishi Vyasa (author of the Mahabharata), and B.R. Ambedkar (chairman of the Constitution drafting committee). He highlighted that “all these figures, despite originating from deprived communities, realized their full potential through education.”
He further questioned the value of education when “some educated people still harbor ignorance and blind belief.” He argued that poverty or lack of education often stems from a lack of opportunities. “In the past, approximately 85% of the population, including upper-caste women, were denied access to Sanskrit education. However, in modern liberal democracies, education has become universally accessible,” he observed.
Siddaramaiah lamented that “despite the pioneering efforts of reformers like the Buddha and Basavanna, the deeply rooted issues of caste hierarchy persist.”
He expressed skepticism, stating, “Regardless of how many years have passed, have caste and class disappeared? Has inequality vanished? This pervasive inequality – economic, educational, and social – appears stubbornly entrenched.”
Referencing Poet Kuvempu’s vision, he recalled, “Kuvempu described our State as a garden of peace for all. But is this truly the case? Why do we witness unrest? Society ought to be a nurturing garden for everyone, and we must diligently work towards this ideal.”
Addressing a contentious incident, he noted, “The individual who threw a shoe at the Chief Justice of India reportedly adheres to the Sanatan ideology.” He urged, “We must recognize that no religion inherently teaches hatred. However, we should question whether a lawyer who commits such an act against a judge should be excused or their actions overlooked. We must collectively condemn such behavior; otherwise, how can peace truly be achieved?” He emphasized that “everyone should be able to coexist, and our ultimate goal is to build an inclusive society. Our government has implemented various programs benefiting the poor from all castes to achieve this,” he affirmed.
Minister R.B. Thimmapura echoed concerns, stating that “social evils such as untouchability and inequality continue to afflict Hinduism.” He asserted, “If Basava Dharma receives formal recognition, I will register my religion as Basava Dharma, rather than Hindu religion.”
Hazrat Mohammed Tanveer Hashmi, State president of Jamaat Ahle Sunnat, condemned the act of throwing a shoe at a Supreme Court judge, equating it to an affront against the Constitution and the national flag. He observed, “A pervasive hatred exists among certain communities globally, and it is imperative that we combat this with love.”
The conference was attended by several notable figures, including Chakravarti Daneshwara Swami of Sri Basavagopala Neelamanika Math, Munikularatna Bhushan Maharaja of Bhadragiri, MLC Umashree, MLAs Vijayananda Kashappanavar and Bhimasen Chimmanakkatti, State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation Chairman S.G. Nanjayyana Math, and former MLA Ananda Nyamagouda, among others.