Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ignited a political controversy with his comments on religious conversions. He argued that the persistence of inequality and untouchability within Hinduism is a primary reason individuals choose to convert. “If there were equality in our Hindu community, then why would anyone convert?” he said.
“If there were equality, why did untouchability come into existence? Did we create untouchability? There can be inequalities in Islam, Christianity, or any religion,” the Karnataka CM added.
He clarified that neither his government nor the BJP promotes conversion but acknowledged it as a personal choice.
His remarks were met with criticism from BJP leaders. R Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition in the state, accused the Chief Minister of selectively targeting Hinduism while refusing to question inequalities within Islam. Ashoka conceded the caste system is a flaw in Hindu society but contended it has a history of internal reform through figures like Basavanna and Dr BR Ambedkar. He contrasted this with what he described as an unchanging fundamentalist mindset in Islam.
Further criticism came from Chalavadi Narayanswamy, who accused Siddaramaiah of divisive politics, and from former CM Basavaraj Bommai. Bommai stated that true equality stems from human values like love and honour, not from religion. He also denounced the state’s caste survey, labelling it an unconstitutional and politically motivated act intended to please the Congress leadership. Bommai specifically criticised the inclusion of caste-based categories for Christians, arguing that if such columns are added, there should also be columns for converted Hindus and Muslims. He deemed the entire exercise illegal.
