Don’t hate me, I’m also a Dalit: Siddu

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Mysore: Amidst growing resentment over his selection as the new CM from the Dalit community, Chief Minister-designate Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he would do his best to take care of Dalit interests.  The Dalits have hit the streets to protest against Siddaramaiah being chosen over Union labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge—a Dalit— for the post.
In his first visit to his hometown Mysore after getting the coveted post, Siddaramaiah requested members of the Dalit community to maintain calm while sympathizing with Kharge. Asserting he also belongs to a backward class, the Kuruba leader said: “Yes, it’s true that Kharge fully deserves to become CM. But the Congress high command has chosen me for the job. I am also a Dalit and want to assure the Dalit community that their interests and welfare will be taken care of.” He  sought the support of Dalit leaders and promised to erase caste boundaries and deliver social justice.
Despite this assurance, activists of Dalit organizations continued their protests with a group ransacking the Congress office in Mysore and Nanjangud town. Sporadic incidents of stone-pelting on shops were reported from Nanjangud. The protests have become a major embarrassment as Varuna constituency represented by Siddaramaiah is part of Nanjangud taluk.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah offered special puja to Goddess Chamundeshwari at the historic Chamundi Hills on Sunday morning and prayed for the well-being of people of Karnataka.
“I sought divine blessings for good rains to help tide over the drought and maintain peace and communal harmony”, he said adding his priority would be agricultural growth and addressing the drinking water crisis and power problem. “The State budget will be based on our poll manifesto”, he announced.
Later, Siddaramaiah visited the residence of litterateur Devanur Mahadeva for an interaction before leaving for Bengaluru. He cancelled his visit to Suttur math as the pontiff was not available. He also did not visit his native Siddarama­nahundi due to paucity of time. This has disappointment the villagers, who had made elaborate arrangements to welcome the son of the soil.