Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 1: "People, who fondly wish that harmony prevailing in society should be disturbed, cannot be treated as humans," said Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah. He was speaking to media persons after taking part in the annual awards ceremony and conferring of the Press Club Person of the Year award, organized by the Press Club here on Sunday December 31.

He was replying to a question about BJP national president, Amit Shah's visit to the state. "Politicians should always wish that peace and harmonious coexistence prevail in the society. They should strive to achieve this goal. If they wish that harmony gets disturbed, in my opinion, they cannot be humans," he stated. In an indirect reference, he said he will not allow people to start fire in Karnataka and if at all they succeed in starting fire, the same would be immediately extinguished.

It is assumed that this statement of Siddaramaiah was directed as MP, Pratap Simha's past statement that had been widely circulated, in which the MP had said that during Shah's visit, the latter wanted to know how many incidents like lathi charge and torching had happened in the state.

Before that, the chief minister, who accepted the 'Press Club Person of the Year' award, stated that one should always understand that some other's life is as precious and valuable as his own. Only then a healthy society can be built. People who hate others cannot be treated as humans. People who take birth in the world should make efforts to struggle out of narrow-mindedness and emerge at a citizen of the entire world, he felt.

Siddaramaiah noted that constitution is secular and an elected government is vested with the responsibility to implement it. Those who behave against the aspirations of the constitution are not fit to become people's representatives. Following principles of casteism is against the constitution, he said, in an apparent reference to certain politicians.

The chief minister said that the constitution stresses on the need to follow human values and stressed that imbibing these values in one's life cannot be termed as crime. He said that Dr Ambedkar had drafted this constitution out of his own experiences and there can be nothing better than this or that which is against its tenets. He felt that lower classes living with self respect are being seen as arrogance on their part whereas higher castes living like this is termed as dignified living. He said he is aware that many people think him to be arrogant and idiot but added that being from a village, he cannot get rid of this quality, which has been inherited by him being a villager.