From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 24: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the protectors of caste inequality killed the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.
Speaking after inaugurating an international seminar on “Mahatma Gandhi for the 21st Century” to mark the 75th anniversary of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi at the Gandhi Bhavan in the city on Saturday, he said a large section of the people were deprived of education because of the caste system.
Siddaramaiah lamented that more and more educated persons were becoming casteist and the denial educational facilities to a large section of the people was responsible for the growing inequality.
The protectors of caste inequality were the ones who killed Mahatma Gandhi. Many have been deprived of education due to the caste system which has resulted in increased inequality. It is ironic, that the educated are becoming more casteist,” he said.
The Chief Minister said: “Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and ideology were not confined to 20th Century but are relevant universally, especially in the present situation. Gandhi followed and adhered to his thinking and ideology and the eternal values of peace, truth, justice and brotherhood.
“The world will be much better if the principles, philosophy and Gandhian thinking is followed by all and everybody can live in peace, amity and happiness,” he said.
Siddaramaiah recalled the words of Stephen Hawking, the renowned English Theoretical Physicist and Thinker, that human beings need not go in search of happiness and tranquillity in other planets and emphasised the need to inculcate the spirit of mutual tolerance, co-existence and brotherhood.
“Casteism and communalism are evils for mankind,” he said and advocated the necessity of imbibing the spirit of universal brotherhood to become ‘Vishwamaanava’ or global citizen as propounded by poet laureate Kuvempu.
He said nature and environment meet our needs and requirements and never supports evil designs against other human beings. “All of us need to be tolerant, secular and broad-minded in our outlook and attitudes,” he said the recent natural calamities that occurred in Kerala’s Wayanad and other parts of the country were due to the over-exploitation of the earth by the human beings.
Siddaramaiah mentioned that several persons had predicted that Karnataka was bound to suffer drought situation if he became the chief minister and unfortunately for such persons, the State is now blessed with bountiful rains and almost all the reservoirs are filled with water.
The Chief Minister regretted that a large number of educated persons were following superstition and other karma ideology, which was mainly on account of the lack of scientific education. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal dreamt and worked for building a modern India based on scientific temper and good education while Mahatma Gandhi propounded peace and non-violence.
Equality, equal opportunities and universal brotherhood are our eternal ideals and values. Unfortunately, country’s wealth is concentrated in the rich and affluent. Hardly 1 per cent of the rich and affluent have cornered 85% of the country’s wealth, which needs to be changed with focus welfare of all, especially the downtrodden and oppressed sections.
The Chief Minister declared that the Congress government is determined to hold the centenary celebrations of the Belagavi session of the Congress party, which was presided over by Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi Smarak Nidhi chairman Ramachandra Rahi presided and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, Vishu Kumar and others attended the function.