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Bengaluru, October 31 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that MK Gandhi, not KB Hedgewar, but along with other Congress leaders, had fought for the country’s independence from the British.
Siddaramaiah said, “It was only the Congress that fought for India’s independence. The RSS was founded in 1925, when the freedom struggle was at its peak. But RSS founder KB Hedgewar never called upon his followers to participate in the freedom movement.”
The Chief Minister said that both Savarkar and Hindu Mahasabha leader Golwalkar opposed the Constitution, adding that they believed in Manusmriti and the Chaturvarna system and never supported the Constitution.
Siddaramaiah said, “BJP leaders criticize Nehru, but it was under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi that leaders like Nehru, Sardar Patel and Subhash Chandra Bose fought for India’s freedom. If the country is free today, it is because of the struggle of these leaders. BJP leaders never participated in the freedom movement. Neither Savarkar nor Golwalkar fought for India’s freedom.”
The Chief Minister said that still BJP leaders today speak as if they are great patriots. “This is hypocrisy,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was martyred and left behind her ideals and following those ideals would be the true tribute to her.
He said, “Indira Gandhi was a courageous woman who was often called the Iron Lady. Even Atal Bihari Vajpayee called her Goddess Durga during the Bangladesh Liberation War. About 90,000 Pakistani soldiers were captured in that war after India crushed the Pakistani army.”
The Chief Minister said that Indira Gandhi had called for eradicating poverty.
Siddaramaiah said, “Poverty was widespread at that time and inequality was very high. He implemented a 20-point program to eliminate poverty.”
He said the Constitution gives everyone the right to live with dignity, but the caste system has created inequality, depriving most people, especially women, of education and cultural opportunities.
Siddaramaiah said, “Under the Chaturvarna (fourfold) system, all opportunities were available to the first three castes, while women from the upper castes were also denied education.”
Basavanna, who envisioned an egalitarian society, initiated a social revolution, the Chief Minister said, adding that his government has declared Basavanna a cultural leader and ordered his photograph to be displayed in all government offices.
Siddaramaiah said that Vallabhbhai Patel, besides being the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, was one of the foremost leaders who fought for the country’s independence.
“As Home Minister, Patel made tremendous efforts to integrate them into the Indian Union. That is why he is remembered as the Iron Man of India,” the Chief Minister said.
–IANS
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