CM Siddaramaiah takes dig at BJP at event to commemorate freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has claimed that a conspiracy by some people helped the British perpetuate their colonial rule in India, adding that some people continue to live off the toil of others.

Speaking at an event to commemorate the death anniversary of Indian warrior and freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna on the 75th Republic Day on Friday, the CM said, “There are still people among us who do not agree to any change in society, do not agree with equal opportunities, and want to nurture inequality. Such people are very dangerous”. He also gave a call to be “careful about such people.”

ಖೋಡೆ ವೃತ್ತದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಿದ್ದ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿವೀರ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣನವರ ಪುಣ್ಯಸಂಸ್ಮರಣಾ ದಿನ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಂಡು ಮಾತನಾಡಿದೆ.

ಸಮಾಜದ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗೆ ಒಪ್ಪದ, ಸಮಾನ ಅವಕಾಶಗಳನ್ನು ಒಪ್ಪದ, ಅಸಮಾನತೆಯನ್ನು ಪೋಷಿಸಬೇಕು ಎನ್ನುವವರು ಈಗಲೂ ನಮ್ಮ ನಡುವೆಯೇ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಂಥವರು ಬಹಳ ಅಪಾಯಕಾರಿ. ಇವರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಎಚ್ಚರದಿಂದ ಇರಬೇಕು.

ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ… pic.twitter.com/BlFXuqdiEn

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 26, 2024

“But those who want their aspirations to be destroyed, there should be no Constitution, inequality should continue, and those who want to sit idle and live on someone else’s hard work are still trying to change our Constitution. We need to be extremely conscious about them”, he said, in what was widely seen as a sly dig at the BJP.

“Patriot and a freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna was caught and handed over to the British by our own people’s conspiracy. We do not respect him because he belongs to the Kuruba community, but because of Rayanna’s patriotism and sacrifice, everyone should remember and respect him”. The CM said that Rayanna should be born in every home, an official release quoted the CM as saying.

“We have recommended to the Union government to name Hubli Airport after Rayanna. Kempegowda Development Authority was established by us. We also recommended the name Kempegowda for Bangalore International Airport. Institutions are named after great people like Kempegowda, Sangolli Rayanna, Basavanna, Kuvempu, Kanakadasa, Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda to inspire people of their aspirations”, he added.

“Our kings hated each other and this opportunity was seized by Muhammad Ghazni and the British, French, etc attacked us”, the CM said, adding, “The country’s opportunities must be disbursed amongst all class of the society. It is the aspiration of our Constitution. Basavanna’s and Kuvempu’s aspiration was the same. He explained that the aspirations of all these people was included in Rayanna’s struggle too”, according to the release.

The programme was also attended by Nirmalananda Swamiji, the head of Adichunchanagiri Maha Sansthan, and the chief minister’s political secretaries Govindaraju and Naseer Ahmed, and former minister H M Revanna. (ANI)