BANGALORE: It’s rare to find politicians who declare that they are no saints, especially during elections.
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah yet again proved that he is one such rare politician. Speaking at a seminar on ‘the status of marginalized sections of society’ organized to celebrate his 40 years in politics, Siddaramaiah said: I cannot declare myself as a 100% honest man. I don’t have that moral courage. People give us money for polls. These days, you have to bring people, give them food and money to attend political rallies. We have to do this besides preserving our principles and ideologies. People gave me money for by-polls. To that extent, I am corrupt. If I don’t admit it, I’ll be a hypocrite. I don’t want to be a hypocrite.”
He said he had spoken about retirement from electoral politics after he turns 70 years because he was fed up with the rampant corruption in the electoral system. You can’t win an election without money. I feel everybody is involved in willfully violating the laws. An honest man cannot violate the law. Fed up with this, I had spoken about abstaining from electoral politics,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said he would continue in active politics till his death. I will be active in the struggle for social justice. I will fight for the cause of dalits, backward classes and minorities,” he said.
He admitted that his joining the Congress party had a set back to the Ahinda movement. Being in a party, it’s difficult. The party I am in is committed to social justice. Everything should be done within the party ambit,” he said.
U R Ananthamurthy to fight Modi
Participating in the programme, Jnanapith awardee U R Ananthamurthy said the deprived classes had become a victim of technology. There was no alternate technology to protect their interests. Today’s leadership should promote appropriate alternate technology to help people who have lost their traditional means of livelihood,” he said.
The writer, who is vocal about secular principles, referred to the frenzy surrounding Narendra Moodi and expressed shock. An illusion is being created, with statistics on development and governance. I don’t want to see Modi as Prime Minister in my lifetime. I have decided to fight against Modi till my death,” said Ananthamurthy
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SIDDU IS RAREST OF RARE POLITICIAN, KANNADIGA’S CAN PROUDLY SAY WE HAVE A STATE’S MAN, HONEST, NON CORRUPTIVE, NONHYPOCRITIC, ABLE ADMINISTRATER. HE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREE HAND BY CONGRESS PARTY TO RULE,SO THAT ALLOW KANNADIGA’S FEEL GOOD GOVERNANCE BY ABLE ADMINISTATER. SIDDU SHOULD BECOME CM FOR FULL TERM.