MYSURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that he believes in the philosophy of 12th century social reformer Basavanna and his government is making honest efforts to walk in that path. He said the guarantee schemes in the state were influenced by the teachings of Basavanna.
He was speaking at the Basava Jayanti celebrations organised by the Akhil Bharat Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha in Mysuru.
Recalling that he took oath as the CM in 2013 on Basava Jayanti, Siddaramaiah said society should not be fragmented on caste lines and should become Vishwamanava.
He said the four-tier caste system should go and society should be built on social equality. He said that Sharanas preached in the layman’s language and propagated a casteless society, equality and universal brotherhood. Sharanas were the first to practice democracy in the 12th century, he added.
He said that Basavanna and his followers worked for the empowerment of the poor and representation was given to all communities and awakened people through vachana shaithya with a focus on humanity and encouraged inter-caste marriage. “The upper caste was intolerant towards Basaveshwara and his progressive thinking revolted against him. But it is unfortunate that the socio-economic disparity has continued for centuries,” the CM added.
Siddaramaiah recalled that Basavanna and Dr BR Ambedkar had warned that the people suffering from humiliation, injustice, and exploitation will destroy the corridors of power if inequality continued to exist in society. He also assured funds for the construction of Basava Bhavan in Mysuru.