BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday pitched himself to continue as CM, exuding confidence that he will present the next state budget for 2026-27 too.
“When I became finance minister the first time, a newspaper asked how Siddaramaiah, who cannot count a hundred sheep, can present a budget? I took it as a challenge and I have since presented 16 budgets. I will also present the 17th. I could do all this because I had the opportunity. Opportunity is important for the oppressed castes,” he stated.
He was speaking after inaugurating the golden jubilee of the LG Havanur R report, organised by the Karnataka State Backward Castes Union at Jnana Jyothi auditorium.
He regretted that backward castes and Dalits are joining BJP-RSS-ABVP even though they know BJP-RSS ideology is against their progress. “All those who are fighting in the name of God and religion are our backward castes. Those who have joined BJP-RSS for selfish reasons are the ones who talk like Hedgewar, rather than the original RSS leaders,” he commented.
He said former chief minister D Devaraj Urs had termed the Havanur report the Bible of backward castes and the Supreme Court had also appreciated it.
He recalled that when he contested the Lok Sabha polls in 1991 and lost because of alleged election malpractice, he had filed a petition disputing the results. Havanur had then argued in favour of him.
Siddaramaiah asserted that his Congress government is ready to accept and implement the economic, social and educational survey report and also increase the reservation limit to 70-75%.
He said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi pressed for the caste survey as he had an ideological commitment. “The other day he asked me what happened to your census,” he said.
As Rahul had clarity, he put pressure on the central government to conduct a caste census, he remarked.
CM reads anti-Shudra chapters of Manusmriti
Amidst his speech, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah read anti-Shudra chapters from Manusmriti. He read the verses that discriminate against Shudras by comparing them to dogs and suggested that the audience should read the scripture and understand the extent of caste discrimination.