Aryavarth (Karnataka): Senior Congress leader H. Anjaneya stirred controversy in Karnataka with his remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Anjaneya, a former minister and close associate of Siddaramaiah, responded to a reporter’s query regarding Siddaramaiah’s absence from the inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He controversially stated, “CM Siddaramaiah himself is Lord Ram. Why should he worship Ram in Ayodhya?”
Anjaneya’s comments came as a response to Siddaramaiah not being invited to the Ayodhya event. He suggested that Siddaramaiah would instead worship Lord Ram at a temple in his native village, Siddaramanahundi, differentiating between BJP’s version of Lord Ram and their own. Anjaneya, who belongs to the Dalit community, also criticized the BJP for adopting a divide and rule policy between religions and claimed that gods like Ram and Hanuman hail from their communities.
The Congress leader questioned the BJP’s ownership of the Hindu religion and their solutions to discrimination and exploitation within the religion. He argued for a shift in focus from temple construction to building houses and nurturing healthy mindsets. Anjaneya proposed that houses built for people living in poor conditions should be named Ram Mandirs, suggesting that this would garner blessings from Lord Ram.
His remarks implied a politicization of religious figures and practices, challenging the BJP’s approach to Hinduism and its use in garnering votes.