Divine help comes only when we act with humanity: CM

Mandya: Divine help comes only when we act with humanity. No God helps those who behave inhumanely, said chief minister Siddaramaiah.
He was speaking on Friday during the reconstruction and consecration ceremony of the Sri Annadaneshwara Swamy temple at Allapatna in Srirangapatana taluk. This site is closely linked to his childhood and spiritual heritage. He reflected on his early life, recalling how he once danced Veerakunite, a traditional folk warrior dance, still performed during the Siddarameshwara puja at his native Siddaramanahundi in Mysuru taluk.
"I, too, was part of Veerakunite. Even today, it lives on during the festivities," he said, expressing deep emotional ties to his roots. Siddaramaiah credited his teacher, Rachappa, for changing the trajectory of his life by enrolling him directly into the fifth grade. "That's how my education began. Since then, I never failed," he said. "If Rachappa hadn't come to our village checking on school dropouts, I wouldn't have become a lawyer or chief minister. It's all God's grace." He also shared a personal anecdote about how his name was changed from Siddaramegowda to Siddaramaiah by a schoolteacher—an act he interpreted as symbolic of the transformative power of education.
In a strong message on social justice, he emphasised the need to dismantle caste-based systems. "Caste is stagnant; class is dynamic. To eliminate caste, we must provide education and economic and social opportunities," he said. "In the past, people were judged by caste. That must change—people should be judged on merit."
The chief minister praised the contributions of progressive rulers like the Wadiyars, who ruled the erstwhile Mysuru State and opened doors to education for marginalised communities. "Caste has restricted mobility. We need social and economic empowerment—and that comes through education," he said. "Even if you can't do good, don't do harm. Serving people is true service to God." He also addressed earlier criticisms about his leadership. "When I was deputy CM and presented my first budget, they mocked me, saying, ‘Can a man who can't count 100 sheep present a budget?' I took it as a challenge and have now presented 16 budgets. Opportunity reveals talent."
Mandya district minister N Cheluvarayaswamy, who was also present at the ceremony, praised the chief minister's wife Parvathi for her vital role in the temple's restoration and her quiet contributions to numerous social causes.
Srirangapatana constituency MLA Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah, and MLA Ravi Ganiga were also present.