Hindutva agenda is not inclusive: Seer

“Our country cannot be built on Hindutva agenda, as it is a country of Dalits and Dravidians also, and not just Hindus. Dalits and Lingayats are not Hindus, and they should stop following Hindu Vaidic practices,” said Sri Nijagunaprabhu Tontadarya Swamiji of Mundaragi.

Speaking at the inauguration of the conference of Dalit writers, organised by the Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi (BDSA) State unit, here on Thursday, he observed that untouchability and exploitation are still prevalent in the country, and hence, Dalitatva, harmony, and development should be the foundation of building the nation, and not Hindutva.

Both the national parties are dangerous. One party has ruled for 70 years, but we are unaware how that party has bitten us. Another party is communal. They have not done justice to Dalits, and they only givenacilities to Dalits as per the provisions mentioned in the Constitution, but not heartily, the seer charged.

Dalits should not fall prey to communal conspiracies to make them puppets in the hand of others, by following the practices of others. Only Buddha, Basavanna, and Ambedkar worked for the welfare of Dalits. Shankaracharya, Madhvacharya, and Ramanujacharya did nothing for the Dalits. Basavanna’s religion was saved not by seers or capitalist politicans, but by Dalits. Therefore, Dalits should worship only Buddha, Basavanna, and Ambedkar, and not other gods, he noted, adding that communal forces have cheated Dalits by propagating misconceptions about god.

The swamiji said, Dalit youth should come out of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS), which uses them for wrong works. Irrespective of their political affiliation, the Dalits should not forget the exploitation they have experienced so far. They should get united and raise a strong voice.

Noted poet Siddalingaiah noted that Dalits have inferiority complex because of the upper class education system. Our education system is not in favour of Dalits. Lessons in schools are familiar for upper class students only, and they develop inferiority complex among Dalit students, he bemoaned.