Hindu religion did not give 'space of dignity' for certain sections in society: Minister Kharge

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and Lingayatism were all born in India as a separate religion, because Hindu religion did not give the ''space of dignity'' for certain sections in the society.

The minister was reacting to senior BJP leaders'--state president B Y Vijayendra and MLC C T Ravi--criticism of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday for his remarks on inequality and casteism in Hindu society, and their allegations that the state government was promoting religious conversions through its policies.

Kharge, hitting out at the BJP leaders said, ''I don't think that Vijayendra and Ravi are aware of the history of religion in India. Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and Lingayatism were all born in India as a separate religion. All these religions were born in India because the Hindu religion did not have the space for them, it did not give the space of dignity for them.'' Speaking to reporters here, he asked, ''What is the Chaturvarna system? Is it in any other religion? It is only in the Hindu religion. Babasaheb Ambedkar gave the slogan that being born as a Hindu was not in my hands, but I will not die as a Hindu. Why? Because of the Varna system.'' ''People did not have dignity, various castes felt left out of the system. All religions that have been born in India, have been born against this inequality. I don't think these people (BJP) leaders know what it is in the first place,'' he added.

Responding to a question, Siddaramaiah on Saturday in Mysuru said, some people are undergoing religious conversion because of the system. ''If Hindu society had equality and equal opportunities, why would conversion happen? Why did untouchability come?'' Asked about inequalities in Muslims and Christians, Siddaramaiah said, ''Wherever there is inequality--whether it is in Muslim or Christians, neither we nor the BJP have asked people to convert. People have converted. It is their right.'' Pointing out that at a recent convocation of Veerashaiva-Lingayats, it was decided that, in the column of religion, during the upcoming Social and Educational Survey popularly known as ''caste census'', people belonging to the community will write Veerashaiva-Lingayats, and not as Hindu, Kharge questioned Vijayendra, ''What does he have to say about that? Can he justify that and then talk to us?'' Vijayendra, the son of BJP veteran and former CM B S Yediyurappa, is a Lingayat.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)