Chief Minister Siddaramaiah went on a trip down memory lane to recall how his plan to marry a girl outside his caste turned futile.
Speaking at a function organised by Janaspandana Trust and Manava Mantapa in Mysuru on Thursday to launch a website for registration of inter-caste couples, Mr. Siddaramaiah recalled his days as a student of law and his friendship with a girl outside his caste, whom he wished to marry.
He confessed that his plans failed as the girl did not agree. “When I was studying law, I was friends with a girl,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah amid cheers from audience. “Though I wanted to marry her, neither her family nor she agreed,” he said before adding that he finally had to marry a girl from his own caste.
However, Mr. Siddaramaiah batted for inter-caste marriages and said more inter-caste marriages should be encouraged so that caste inequalities are removed from the society.
He said his government would extend complete support and cooperation for inter-caste marriages. Regretting that the caste system was deeply entrenched in the society, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the efforts of several people to eradicate caste system had so far failed.
He said inter-caste marriages will promote economic and social equality in the society. He cited B.R. Ambedkar to say that political independence in the country will not be successful as long as economic independence and social equality is not achieved.
Mylari Hotel
On Friday morning, Mr. Siddaramaiah, accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues H.C. Mahadevappa and K. Venkatesh, besides former MLA Yathindra, visited Mylari hotel in Nazarbad for breakfast.
Taking to X, earlier Twitter, the Chief Minister said he was reminded of his student days in Mysuru while having breakfast at the hotel. Claiming that the unforgettable memories of his life were associated with Mysuru, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Mysuru was not only his birthplace, but also a city that gave him life.
“Even though I am away physically, Mysuru’s memories are always close to my heart,” he said.
