Avoid company of 'sanatanis'; remain cautious of RSS, Sangh Parivar: CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday urged people to avoid the company of 'sanatanis' and remain cautious of the RSS and Sangh Parivar, saying they had historically opposed B R Ambedkar and the Constitution he framed.
"Keep your company right. Associate with those who stand for society, not with those who oppose social change or with 'sanatanis'," Siddaramaiah said after inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of Mysore University and dedicating the new Jnana Darshana building.
Referring to the recent incident in which a shoe was hurled at the Chief Justice of India (BR Gavai), the chief minister said, "The fact that a 'sanatani' threw a shoe at the chief justice shows that 'sanatanis' and orthodox elements still exist in society. This act should be condemned not just by Dalits but by everyone. Only then can we say that society is moving on the path of change."
Siddaramaiah also alleged that the RSS and Sangh Parivar had opposed Ambedkar’s Constitution and continue to do so, urging people to remain vigilant.
Calling Ambedkar a visionary who used knowledge for social transformation, he said, "Ambedkar acquired knowledge to understand society and used it throughout his life to change society."
Accusing the BJP and Sangh Parivar of spreading false propaganda in Ambedkar’s name, he said, "They are spreading lies that the Congress defeated Ambedkar in the elections. But the truth is what Ambedkar himself wrote in his own handwriting—‘Savarkar and Dange defeated me.’ Such truths must be placed before society to expose the falsehoods of the Sangh Parivar.
Speaking about the Ambedkar School of Economics, Siddaramaiah said, "I established it so that those who study Ambedkar may walk in his path. Ambedkar is matchless. Another Ambedkar will never be born, but everyone should follow his ideals and walk in his footsteps."
Praising Ambedkar’s contribution to the nation, the chief minister said, "He studied and absorbed all the constitutions of the world and gave India the best Constitution suitable for its society."
He added that he believed in the thoughts of Buddha, Basava (12th-century social reformer), and Ambedkar. "That is why I hope rationality and scientific thinking will grow. Don’t be a person who studies science but still practices blind beliefs," he said.
Siddaramaiah also lauded the Mysore University’s Ambedkar Study Centre, which completed 25 years, and the inauguration of the 'Vishwa Jnani Ambedkar Sabha Bhavana,' calling it "a welcome step".
"Unequal opportunities have created inequality. Education is not anyone’s ancestral property. What people need is opportunity. Once given, they can become scholars and intellectuals," he said, reiterating, "Ambedkar was a great visionary who used his knowledge for social transformation."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
PM Modi arrives in Netherlands on second leg of his five-nation tour
Amsterdam (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday on the second leg of his five-nation tour, during which he will hold talks with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten to further deepen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, defence and renewable energy.
The prime minister arrived in the Netherlands after a brief stopover of around two-and-a-half hours in the UAE, where he held talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
Modi's visit to the European nation from May 15 to 17 is his second trip to the country after his 2017 visit and comes at what officials described as an "important juncture" in India-Netherlands ties.
During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral talks with PM Jetten and will also meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.
Modi is also expected to address the Indian community and interact with leading Dutch business leaders during the visit.
MEA officials said the visit carries a “rich and substantive agenda” and is expected to consolidate the strategic dimensions of the partnership that have emerged through sustained engagement between the two countries.
India and the Netherlands have significantly expanded cooperation in recent years beyond traditional sectors such as trade, investment and the priority areas of water, agriculture and health.
The partnership has grown in strategic sectors, including technology, innovation, defence, security, semiconductors, renewable energy, education and the maritime domain, the MEA said.
The Netherlands is one of India’s largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade valued at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. It is also India’s fourth-largest investor, with cumulative foreign direct investment amounting to USD 55.6 billion, officials said.
People-to-people ties remain a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. The Netherlands is home to more than 90,000 non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin, besides over 200,000 members of the Suriname-Hindustani community. Around 3,500 Indian students are currently enrolled in Dutch universities.
Officials noted that Modi's visit to the Netherlands and three other European nations -- Sweden, Norway, and Italy -- comes against the backdrop of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement finalised earlier this year and the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2025.
