Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The political battle in the state escalated on Sunday as senior BJP leaders — former minister C T Ravi and state president B Y Vijayendra — launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, questioning his remarks on inequality and casteism in Hindu society and alleged that the state government was promoting religious conversions through its policies.
While Ravi issued a strongly worded open letter, Vijayendra posted a blistering statement on X, accusing the Congress government of pursuing an anti-Hindu agenda under the guise of social justice.
In his letter, Ravi challenged Siddaramaiah’s statement that inequality exists within Hinduism, asking whether inequality exists only in Hindu society.
He argued that various forms of inequality—economic, social, educational, and religious—are present across communities and even within the Congress party itself.
He cited the case of former minister K N Rajanna, who was allegedly forced to resign for disagreeing with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as an example of inequality within the Congress.
Ravi also accused the Congress leaders of hypocrisy, pointing to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s apology over a party issue related to praising Mother India by singing the RSS anthem in the Assembly, a couple of weeks ago.
Ravi argued that inequality exists among Christians and Muslims too and questioned why caste-based labels persist even after religious conversion. He criticised conversion as failing to eliminate caste and accused those promoting it of replicating Hindu caste structures under new religious identities.
Defending Sanatana Dharma, Ravi underlined its teachings of equality, including concepts like “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) and “Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu” (may all beings be happy). Ravi challenged critics to produce even a single Vedic mantra or vachana that supports inequality, asserting that saints like Buddha, Basavanna, Ramanujacharya, and Kanakadasa all worked to remove social discrimination, not reinforce it.
In his post on X, BJP state president Vijayendra accused the Congress government of denigrating Hinduism and now provoking Hindus to convert. He claimed that CM Siddaramaiah’s remark — “If there was equality in Hinduism, why would people convert?” — indirectly promotes religious conversion.
Vijayendra alleged that the government is planning to repeal anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws and criticised the inclusion of Hindu caste names labelled as “Christian” in a Backward Classes Commission list. Instead of correcting the move, Siddaramaiah made remarks that Vijayendra claimed reflect anti-Hindu sentiments.
‘Silent on issues related to Islam’
He further accused the chief minister of remaining silent on issues within Islam, such as women’s oppression, and questioned his silence when Prime Minister Narendra Modi abolished Triple Talaq.
Vijayendra concluded that Siddaramaiah’s mindset is fundamentally opposed to Hindu Dharma and Indian culture and said the Congress government’s recent actions were exposing a pattern of anti-Hindu policies.