<p>Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said on Sunday that Dravidians were the original inhabitants of the country and he belonged to their sect.</p>.<p>He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Congress party office here.</p>.<p>Commenting on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s challenge, asking Siddaramaiah to specify whether he was a Dravidian or Aryan, he said, “I had said that Aryans had come from Central Asia thousands of years ago and became Indians by living here. But I belong to Dravidian sect. What is wrong in that?"</p>.<p>To BJP leaders’ question about the origin of Congress leaders, he said, “Sonia Gandhi is from Italy. After getting married to Rajiv Gandhi, she has become a citizen of India. Are not our people getting citizenship in England and other countries," he asked.</p>.<p>“When I was the chief minister, people of Kuruba community submitted a petition seeking ST tag. An organisation in Mysuru was entrusted with the task to conduct a study on their lineage. But no report was submitted. Former minister K S Eshwarappa took out a padayatra, urging to include Kurubas in ST community. Now, BJP is in power in the state and the Centre and can consider their demand,” he said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Minister S T Somashekar said statements of Siddaramaiah do not have any value.</p>.<p>“Let him study and understand the RSS programmes. We will give him necessary books and will take him to the RSS office,” he said.</p>
<p>Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said on Sunday that Dravidians were the original inhabitants of the country and he belonged to their sect.</p>.<p>He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Congress party office here.</p>.<p>Commenting on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s challenge, asking Siddaramaiah to specify whether he was a Dravidian or Aryan, he said, “I had said that Aryans had come from Central Asia thousands of years ago and became Indians by living here. But I belong to Dravidian sect. What is wrong in that?"</p>.<p>To BJP leaders’ question about the origin of Congress leaders, he said, “Sonia Gandhi is from Italy. After getting married to Rajiv Gandhi, she has become a citizen of India. Are not our people getting citizenship in England and other countries," he asked.</p>.<p>“When I was the chief minister, people of Kuruba community submitted a petition seeking ST tag. An organisation in Mysuru was entrusted with the task to conduct a study on their lineage. But no report was submitted. Former minister K S Eshwarappa took out a padayatra, urging to include Kurubas in ST community. Now, BJP is in power in the state and the Centre and can consider their demand,” he said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Minister S T Somashekar said statements of Siddaramaiah do not have any value.</p>.<p>“Let him study and understand the RSS programmes. We will give him necessary books and will take him to the RSS office,” he said.</p>
