BENGALURU: Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and his think-tank have zeroed in on the textbook revision row as a crucial issue which could impact the chances of the BJP and RSS in the assembly polls in Karnataka. After protest by Vishwa Manava Krantikari Mahakavi Kuvempu Horata Samiti at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on June 18, another rally is planned on Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh’s home turf in Tiptur, which will culminate in a mega event on Sunday. Congress leaders and Siddaramaiah’s sympathisers have been on a week-long padayatra to highlight the omissions and commissions of the textbook committee.
Siddaramaiah has raked up the issue as the Rohith Chakrathirtha Committee has allegedly committed unpardonable mistakes in revising the textbooks by insulting greats such as Dr B R Ambedkar, Basavanna, Kuvempu and others.The issue spread like wildfire even to coastal Karnataka, with followers of reformer of the region Narayana Guru and poet Kayyara Kinhana Rai claiming that they were not given prominence in the textbooks.
As the next assembly elections are likely to witness an ideological battle, Siddaramaiah, in order to woo the minorities, has continued his tirade against the RSS. In this, he has found noted writer Devanuru Mahadeva’s book ‘RSS: Aala Mattu Agala’ (Depth and Width) handy, as it is critical of the Sangh Parivar ideology. Siddaramaiah, who was all praise for Devanuru, has suggested that the masses must read it.
“If it is going to be a ideological clash, it will work only if secular parties come together to fight the BJP and RSS,” remarked former MLA YSV Datta.Interestingly, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who didn’t lag behind in attacking the RSS, has also been referring to Devanuru’s book, sources told TNIE.
As the BJP is likely to fight the polls under collective leadership, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the lead, the issues of development, corruption and ideology are also likely to come to the fore. Foreseeing this, the Siddaramaiah camp is preparing to take the clash to its logical end by sending a clear message to the minorities as he will stand by them. Kumaraswamy is also making his own efforts in this direction, observed political pundits.