CM Siddaramaiah pens open letter to Amit Shah over Ambedkar remark
Says Ambedkar is our inspiration, not an addiction
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed an open letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, expressing strong disapproval of Shah's recent remarks about Dr B.R. Ambedkar during a Lok Sabha session on December 18, 2024. Siddaramaiah accused Shah of trivialising Ambedkar's legacy by referring to it as an "addiction."
In the letter, Siddaramaiah lauded Ambedkar’s contributions, stating, "Ambedkar is not an addiction; he is a daily remembrance and an eternal inspiration." He criticised Shah for disrespecting Ambedkar’s memory in a Parliament functioning under the Constitution authored by him. Siddaramaiah urged Shah to refrain from offering clarifications or claiming misrepresentation, challenging him instead to stand by his words.
Highlighting Ambedkar’s role in shaping modern India, Siddaramaiah credited the Constitution for enabling social equality and empowering leaders from marginalised communities. "Without Ambedkar, I would not have become the Chief Minister. Leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, who reached the pinnacle of Indian politics, would have been confined to labour in factories," he said.
Siddaramaiah also criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for its historical opposition to the Constitution, citing remarks by its leaders such as Hedgewar and Golwalkar. He argued that Shah's comments reflected the BJP and RSS’s longstanding disregard for Ambedkar's ideals.
The letter further took a dig at the BJP's obsession with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, labelling it an "addiction," and questioned the party's moral compass. "If the RSS cadre chanted God’s name as often as they chant Modi’s, they might earn salvation for their misdeeds in power," Siddaramaiah remarked.
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Pushpa 2 stampede case: 8-year-old battles for life on ventilator, cop says he is 'brain dead'
Hyderabad: The eight-year-old boy, who was also a victim of the deadly Sandhya theatre stampede during the premiere of Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2 in Hyderabad, is reportedly battling for his life and is currently on ventilator support.
Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand reportedly informed the media that the boy, Sri Teja, is "brain-dead" due to oxygen deprivation during the incident.
Reports mentioned that the minor's neurological condition also has not been showing any signs of improvement.
The stampede occurred at Sandhya Theatre at RTC X Roads on December 4 during the premier show which was attended by the film’s hero Allu Arjun. The young boy was hospitalised due to asphyxiation caused by the stampede, while his mother, Revathy, succumbed to her injuries later that evening.
The woman’s husband filed an FIR, which led to Allu Arjun’s arrest on Friday night. However, the actor was released on interim bail the following morning.
