Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday claimed that V.D. Savarkar, whom the BJP party projects as a “patriot and freedom fighter”, did not participate in the freedom struggle.
Launching the Congress party’s membership drive from his native Siddaramanahundi in Mysuru, he said Savarkar had not been jailed for participating in the freedom struggle. He had been released from prison by the British after he filed a mercy petition, giving an undertaking that he will not participate in any struggle against them.
Though it was the Congress party members who had sacrificed their lives and belongings for the country during the freedom struggle, it is ironical that the BJP was trying to teach patriotism to the Congress.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP stalwarts L.K. Advani and A.B. Vajpayee were also not freedom fighters. “They were all beneficiaries of freedom”, Mr. Siddaramaiah said. Claiming that he was born about 12 days before the country achieved Independence, he said even he is a beneficiary of the freedom.
The Constitution framed under the leadership of B.R. Ambedkar ensured equality to all while removing discrimination between the rich and poor. BJP is not a party that favours the downtrodden, Mr. Siddarmaiah said. On the contrary, the BJP leaders claim that they have come to power to amend the Constitution.
Unable to reform the caste system and the practice of untouchability in Hindu religion, Dr. Ambedkar had joined Buddhism, he said. There were people belonging to different castes and religions in the country, and the Congress party’s ideology was to love one’s own religion and respect the religions of others.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the JD(S) was a party whose presence in restricted to a few districts in the State. Yet, its leaders claim that they will come to power in 2023. Recalling that the party had won 59 seats in the Legislative Assembly when he was its State unit president, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the party’s strength in the Assembly has been declining ever since and asked how it could come to power.
He called upon the people to read the Constitution and understand their responsibilities. “You will understand who you should vote and why you should vote”, he said while emphasising the need for people to be awakened if democracy is to survive.
Mr. Siddaramaiah was accompanied by his son and MLA representing Varuna assembly segment Yathindra Siddaramaiah and party’s Mysuru district unit President B.J. Vijaykumar.
