RSS opposed to change in societal order: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Former chief minister and leader of opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah on Wednesday renewed his attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing the outfit of wishing to perpetuate the Brahminical order. Siddaramaiah, participating at an event organised to mark Kanaka Jayanti in Mysuru, said that the RSS and the Sangh Parivar presented the biggest challenge to societal change in the country.
Pointing out that the Sangh Parivar wished to see society built on the foundations of caste, Siddaramaiah said that such notions did not augur well for the country. From the Buddha in the ancient epoch to Basavanna in the medieval times, and BR Ambedkar in the 20th century, iconic personalities have questioned, and sought to demolish societal structures built around caste-based identities, said the former CM, adding that Mahatma Gandhi too had questioned the inequality that was endemic in such a hierarchical set-up.
Siddaramaiah claimed that personalities rising from among the oppressed sections of society heralded social change. Questioning RSS’s claims to being a patriotic outfit, Siddaramaiah sought to remind its leaders of the organisation’s notable absence in the struggle for Independence.
The former CM felicitated 250 students from the Kuruba community, besides feting achievers from the community. Varuna MLA and Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra, Kaginele Mahasamsthan Mutt seer Niranjanandapuri Swami, and the pontiff of the mutt’s KR Nagar unit Shivanandapuri Swami were among those in attendance at the event.
Remembers association with AH Vishwanath
Although BJP MLC and former minister Adagooru H Vishwanath left the Congress with his relationship with Siddaramaiah considerably strained, the former CM on Wednesday, nevertheless, recalled his association with the senior leader. Reminiscing about his days as a college student, Siddaramaiah said that he had joined Vishwanath, with whom he had sought to raise awareness about societal ills within the Kuruba community. The former CM recalled having set up the Kanakadasa Yuva Balaga along with Vishwanath. Siddaramaiah spoke of people being reluctant to reveal the name of their caste, whom they would convince to join the association.