CM Siddaramaiah slams RSS leader over call to review Constitution's secular, socialist ideals
Bengaluru, Jun 28 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday slammed RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale for calling to review the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution.
"The RSS believes in Manusmriti. They have no respect for the Indian Constitution and no faith in democracy," Siddaramaiah told reporters, while responding to a question on Hosabale’s call for amending the Constitution.
"They have a mindset of changing the Constitution and imposing Manusmriti in the country. What else can they say apart from it?" the CM said.
According to him, B R Ambedkar headed panel drafted the Indian Constitution, which was later accepted by the constituent assembly after a detailed discussion.
Regarding the call to remove the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’, Siddaramaiah said, "The words were inserted in the Constitution after a discussion in the Parliament. Amendment to the Constitution cannot be done as per Hosabale’s wish," he said.
Addressing an event organised in New Delhi on the Emergency, Hosabale said, "The Preamble of the Constitution Baba Saheb Ambedkar made never had these words. During the Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not work, judiciary became lame, then these words were added."
He said discussions were held on this issue later but no effort was made to remove them from the Preamble. So whether they should remain in the Preamble should be considered, he added.
"The Preamble is eternal. Are the thoughts of socialism as an ideology eternal for India?" Hosabale said.
The suggestion from the RSS' second senior-most functionary to consider removing the two terms came as he hit out at the Congress for its Emergency-era excesses and demanded an apology from the party.
The RSS leader's call to review the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution is not about dismantling it but about restoring its "original spirit", free from the "distortions" of the Congress' Emergency-era policies, said an article published in an RSS-linked magazine on Friday.
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If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
