Amid RSS March Row, BJP vs Congress On Siddaramaiah's 'Sanatani' Warning

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sparked controversy with his comments on "Sanatani" that incorporated a warning -- stay away from the right wing and remain cautious about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor, and the organisations under it.  His comments come amid a row over a planned march  by the RSS fort which the government had not given permission. The High Court, though, allowed it, but on a different date. 

"Keep your company right. Associate with those who stand for society, not with those who oppose social change or with 'sanatanis'," Siddaramaiah had said after inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of Mysore University and dedicating the new Jnana Darshana building.

In this context, he cited the incident in which a shoe was hurled at the Chief Justice of India. "The fact that a 'sanatani' threw a shoe at the Chief Justice of India shows 'sanatanis' and orthodox elements still exist in society. This act should be condemned not just by Dalits but by everyone," he said.

The RSS, he added, had historically opposed B R Ambedkar and the Constitution he framed.

"Who opposed this Constitution? Manuvadis opposed it. Golwalkar opposed it. Savarkar opposed it. Even now they are opposing it. Shouldn't we be alert of them? This should be conveyed to society and students. We should say the truth," he said.

The court ruling on the RSS march coming as a setback to the government, the BJP and the right-wing groups lost no time in retaliating against Siddaramaiah over his statement. 

The BJP has accused the Chief Minister of trying to deflect attention from the corruption allegations against him.

RSS leader Rajiv Tuli said the Congress's animosity towards the RSS is "old, not new". He recalled that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once in 1948 said "crush" the organisation and accused the party of being against "Indianness, nationalism, and Hindutva".

"A Chief Minister in Karnataka, who has 'Ram' in his parents' names, who has 'Parvati' in the name of his wife and who himself is called Siddaramaiah tells people to avoid the company of 'sanatanis'," said right wing leader Vinod Bansal.

Mr Siddaramaiah's Deputy DK Shivakumar has distanced himself from his remarks. "I do not want to comment on that. You can ask me whatever you want on my side. I will explain to you," he told reporters when asked about the matter.