Dalit leaders criticise Jigajinagi’s statement about Priyank Kharge, RSS
Leaders of some Dalit organisations have criticised Ramesh Jigajinagi, BJP MP and Dalit leader, for his statement that Dalits should not be concerned about the
Leaders of some Dalit organisations have criticised Ramesh Jigajinagi, BJP MP and Dalit leader, for his statement that Dalits should not be concerned about the affairs of the RSS. Jigajinagi had said this in response to Home Minister Priyank Kharge’s writing to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat seeking details of the organisation’s registration, office bearers, sources of income, expenditure, assets, and tax compliance. Jigajinagi had said in a press meet, “Those who have taken on RSS have not survived. Why should a Dalit person be concerned about RSS?” This statement has drawn the ire of several groups.
Members of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Bhim Army, and Sangolli Rayanna Yuva Sene have issued statements criticising Mr. Jigajinagi. “Mr. Jigajinagi’s comments about the Home Minister are unacceptable. They are an insult to the whole Dalit community,” said Gopinath Muniswamy, Dalit ideologue and convener of the Nava Karnataka Nirman Andolana. “It also shows how the BJP and RSS use Dalit leaders to counter liberal Dalits. It is very clear that Mr. Jigajinagi is doing such things only to please his ideological bosses, and to gain political mileage,’’ he said.
Vithaldas Pyage, Buddhist thinker and writer, sought to invert the question and asked, “Mr. Jigajinagi’s statement should apply to himself too. Why is he concerned with the affairs of the RSS? Why is a Dalit man defending the RSS? Ultimately, Mr. Kharge has only said that the RSS has to follow the Constitutional morality, just like any other organisation,” Prof. Pyage said. Anil Hosmani, Vijayapura-based journalist and convener of the Buddha Basava Babasaheb Book Fair, recalled that Mr. Jigajinagi was groomed by Janata Parivar leaders like Ramakrishna Hegde.
“Mr. Jigajinagi has managed to survive in the BJP only by appeasing the Sangh Parivar and by criticising senior Dalit leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge. The RSS and BJP leadership have used Mr. Jigajinagi only to defend the Hindutva political ideology,” Mr. Hosmani said.
The BriefWire