Asking Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah to explain his understanding of “secularism”, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday claimed that it was Congress party’s “misinterpretation of the idea” that had led to secularism “facing insults today”.
“Time and again I have said that our idea of secularism is having deep belief in our religion and gods and yet, respecting other’s belief,” he said. He went on to allege that Mr. Siddaramaiah’s narrative of secularism was to “break castes or indulge in unnecessary appeasement”.
Mr. Kumaraswamy made these statements in a series of tweets, in response to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s statement over the JD(S)’s commitment to secularism. The CLP leader had said that JD(S)’s commitments will be known during the voting of no-confidence motion moved by BJP against Legislative Council chairman K. Prathapchandra Shetty, a Congress MLC. The JD(S) support is crucial since both the Congress and the BJP do not have majority in the 75-member House.
“No Congress leader has had the decency to seek the support of JD(S) for the no-confidence vote. Yet, Mr. Siddaramaiah’s remark smacks of arrogance,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said. “We are not slaves to support even without being asked. It is this attitude that is responsible for the downfall of the Congress.” He said that they need not learn secularism from the Congress. “We do not need lecture from the Congress on the JD(S)’s stand and H.D. Deve Gowda’s commitment to secularism,” he said. “It is your (Mr. Siddaramaiah) double standard and lack of clarity that has led to the current political situation in the State,” he alleged.
The two leaders, not known to have good equations, have been exchanging barbs frequently, especially after the fall of the 14-month Congress-JD(S) coalition headed by Mr. Kumaraswamy last year. Mr. Kumaraswamy had recently said “secular weakness” of Mr. Gowda had been exploited by Congress.
