Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has drawn sharp criticism after his controversial remark in Mysuru claiming that inequality exists in Hindu society. Senior BJP leader and former Minister CT Ravi has hit back with a scathing open letter, accusing the Congress leader of selectively targeting Hinduism while ignoring discrimination in other religions and even within his own party.
Ravi’s letter, which is already circulating widely in political and social circles, directly questions Siddaramaiah’s motives and exposes contradictions within the Congress party.
Inequality is not exclusive to Hindus
Ravi asked the Chief Minister bluntly: “Is inequality present only in Hindu society? Isn’t it also present elsewhere?” He pointed out that inequality exists across all spectrums between rich and poor, educated and uneducated, and even among people of the same caste who occupy different positions of power.
“Inequality has many faces economic, social, educational, political, and religious. Why then is only Hindu society being demonised?” he asked.
The BJP leader went further, turning Siddaramaiah’s own party into an example of inequality. Citing the recent case of former minister KN Rajanna, who was forced to resign from the Cabinet after expressing his disagreement with Rahul Gandhi’s claims of vote-rigging, Ravi said: “Is this not inequality? Rajanna voiced an independent opinion, and for that he had to pay with his position. Doesn’t this show intolerance and discrimination within your own Congress?”
In his letter, Ravi tore into the Congress’s hypocrisy. “Your leaders lecture the world on equality, brotherhood, and secularism. But when it comes to practicing those values, you fail miserably. You apologized publicly to your own state party president for no mistake of his—simply because he recited ‘Namaste Sadaa Vatsale Mathrubhumi’ in the Assembly, praising Mother India. You could not tolerate that and showed your bias.”
He also reminded Siddaramaiah of the plight of senior leader Dr. G. Parameshwara, who, according to Ravi, was repeatedly denied the Chief Minister’s post due to internal discrimination in the Congress ranks. “If inequality is your concern, look at your own party. You yourself have suffered discrimination at the hands of the Congress high command in Delhi. Why don’t you speak of that?” Ravi charged.
Ravi’s letter accused Siddaramaiah of unfairly singling out Hindus while ignoring social divisions in other communities. “There is inequality among Christians and Muslims too. In America, there is racial inequality between whites and blacks. But only Hindu society is constantly targeted with the charge of untouchability,” he wrote.
He further exposed the irony of conversions. “Millions of Hindus have been converted on the pretext that Christianity treats everyone equally. Yet why then do we find caste distinctions even among Christians in India? Why do they add caste names behind their Christian identity? If they truly believe in equality, why replicate the very system they denounce?”
Sanatan Dharma stands for universal equality
Defending Hinduism, Ravi stressed that Sanatan Dharma is the only religion that has proclaimed the equality of all souls. “Our scriptures declare that God resides in every living being, that the world is one family Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. While other religions restrict welfare to their own communities, Hinduism has always prayed for the welfare of the entire world.”
He challenged Siddaramaiah to quote even a single verse from the Vedas, vachanas, or Dasavani that promotes inequality. “On the contrary, every text and saintly tradition—be it Buddha, Basavanna, Ramanujacharya, or Kanakadasa worked to eradicate inequality. Show me where our Dharma justifies discrimination,” he demanded.
Ravi reminded that caste distinctions exist among Muslims and Christians too, but no one calls their religion discriminatory. “No Indian-origin scripture has ever endorsed untouchability or caste-based oppression. Despite some social inequalities in practice, Hindu scriptures have always proclaimed equality. By attacking Hindus alone, you are showing your prejudice,” he thundered.
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