Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was accused by the Opposition of dividing the Lingayat-Veerashaiva community in the run-up to the Assembly elections, sought to dispel this by calling himself a “staunch follower” of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara.
Speaking at a meeting at the residence of former MLA H.M. Chandrashekharappa here on Thursday evening, he said many programmes of the previous Congress government were consistent with the social justice principles advocated by Basaveshwara.
He said his government’s decision to recommend religious minority tag to Lingayat and Veerashaiva-Lingayat community followed a demand by the community itself.
“My government acted on a request from the community leaders and seers. It is unfortunate that I am being blamed now of trying to divide the Lingayat community. That is false,” he said.
Lingayat leaders in the Congress and the JD(S) attended the meeting.
Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Siddaramaiah blamed the “false propaganda” carried out by the BJP in the name of Hindutva for the Congress’ below-par performance in the Assembly elections in coastal Karnataka and the Malnad region.
“The BJP created a sort of fear psychosis among the voters over the issue of safety of Hindu women and cow slaughter. Coastal Karnataka and Malnad region were converted by the BJP cadres into a Hindutva laboratory. But BJP leaders should realise that it is not possible to deceive voters for a long time by raking up emotional issues,” he said.
He said that people, at the end of the day, would look at the “failure of the BJP-led Union government to control the prices of essential commodities” and at its “poor performance in employment creation”.
