The occasion commemorating the one centesimal anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assembly with Narayana Guru, the social reformer and non secular chief of Kerala who’s a champion of backward communities, would usually have ended up as a mere socio-political occasion in Karnataka.
However amid an ongoing energy wrestle within the state between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, an OBC chief from the Kuruba faction, and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who belongs to the highly effective Vokkaliga neighborhood, the occasion to mark the Mahatma Narayana Guru Convention held in Mangaluru on Wednesday took on political significance because it was seen as a possible indicator of the state’s political roadmap.
The occasion, which befell on the Mangalagangothri campus of Mangalore College in Konaje, additionally seemed to be an illustration of the power of the backward neighborhood.
Narayana Guru is revered as a social reformer who modified the standing of main backward teams such because the Viravas and Idigas within the Dakshina Kannada area bordering Kerala.
The perform, hosted by Karnataka MLC BK Hariprasad, AICC chief and one of many aspirants to affix Siddaramaiah’s cupboard, comes at a important juncture the place an influence transition seems to be underway. In neighboring Kerala too, the Congress is attempting to wrest energy from the CPI(M) within the meeting polls scheduled for April 2026.
One of many key points of the occasion, which seems to have the help of the Heart celebration management, was Siddaramaiah’s presence and Shivakumar’s absence. In attendance was AICC common secretary in control of the group, KC Venugopal, a detailed aide of Rahul Gandhi and a key determine within the Congress motion in Karnataka and Kerala.
“This program has been organized as a part of our efforts to as soon as once more remind folks of the values of life preached by Narayana Guru,” Hariprasad mentioned.
“Narayana Guru was some of the influential social reformers in South India, particularly within the states of Kerala and Karnataka. He was a righteous man. There was an extended alternate of concepts and dialogue between him.
“I held talks with Mahatma Gandhi on many points together with freedom wrestle, social equality and battle in opposition to discrimination in 1925,” he added.
Steering for the transition of energy?
The incident was seen as a sign of the Congress management’s ideas on the roadmap for energy transition in Karnataka. That is at the moment being pressured by Shivakumar along with his declare to the submit of CM.
Mr. Shivakumar’s absence from the occasion might have signaled his weak place among the many backward communities, which together with Dalits and minorities are a bulwark of celebration help within the state.
Though each Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar have maintained that the problem of management change shall be determined by the excessive command and the CM has mentioned that his deputy will take over as CM as soon as the excessive command decides, sources say Mr. Siddaramaiah will proceed as CM till the Kerala polls.
The occasions in Mangaluru additionally trace at the opportunity of a cupboard reshuffle as a primary step within the transition of energy earlier than Siddaramaiah is given an honorable exit. That is what Siddaramaiah is asking for, however Shivakumar is in opposition to it.
In his private feedback to ministerial candidates, Siddaramaiah mentioned, “Politics shouldn’t be everlasting” and “energy shouldn’t be anybody’s ancestral property,” and has indicated his intention to resign if instructed to take action by the Congress excessive command.
One risk being mentioned in political circles is for Mr. Hariprasad to enter the cupboard as an OBC chief earlier than Mr. Siddaramaiah’s exit as a countermeasure to Mr. Shivakumar’s non-OBC standing and energy wrestle.
By the way, Siddaramaiah held a shock breakfast assembly with Hariprasad a couple of months in the past and hinted at an alliance after Hariprasad had fallen out with Shivakumar. Hariprasad, who can be the AICC in control of Haryana, is named a staunch supporter of the Gandhi household.
Hariprasad additionally met Rahul Gandhi amid the latest management disaster, however later dismissed the assembly as a part of his tasks as an AICC official. He additionally attended a breakfast assembly of Congress supporters held on the residence of minister and veteran Dalit chief KH Muniyappa.
When requested a few doable management change in November, Hariprasad had mentioned, “I shouldn’t have the authority to talk on the problem (of management change). It’s as much as the knowledge of the celebration management. The present scenario is progressing easily.”
Earlier, Chief Minister Hariprasad had criticized Mr. Shivakumar when he sang part of the RSS nationwide anthem in Parliament in the course of the monsoon session.
Wednesday’s occasions additionally mirrored Congress’ intention to stay to the backward insurance policies which might be the bedrock of its politics.
Because the Nineteen Seventies, former CM Devaraj Urs has moved away from dependence on the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities for political energy.
As Mr Siddaramaiah has been a vocal advocate of social justice, the caste survey accomplished within the state can be more likely to be made public earlier than any energy transition takes place within the state. Mr. Shivakumar and a number of other different celebration leaders from outstanding communities opposed an analogous caste survey performed in 2015 throughout Mr. Siddaramaiah’s earlier tenure as CM.
Assembly between Guru Gandhi and Narayana
Narayana Guru made a strong effort to result in reforms in opposition to inequality and caste discrimination in Kerala society within the early 1900s by making use of scientific views and rules of justice to spiritual thought. In March 1925, his reform motion attracted the eye of Mahatma Gandhi, who was in Vaikom, Kerala, collaborating within the Vaikom Satyagraha.
Later, Gandhi met Narayana Guru at Vanajakshi Mantapa in Sivagiri Mutt and had an extended dialogue on varied points.
Spiritual concord and tolerance have been essential points of Narayana Guru’s teachings. He organized a synod of all religions in Alba in March 1924. “This sermon convention shouldn’t be about arguing and successful. It is about studying and offering data,” he mentioned on the time.
Talking concerning the Mangaluru occasion organized in collaboration with Varkala’s Sivagiri Math and Mangalore College’s Sri Narayana Guru Studying Heart, Hariprasad mentioned, “These are important instances when it’s crucial to strengthen equality, concord and brotherhood amongst all religions.”
The occasion commemorates the ‘one centesimal Anniversary of Historic Dialogue between Shri Narayana Guru and Mahatma Gandhi’, one centesimal Anniversary of Guru’s Mahasamadhi and one centesimal Anniversary of the All Faiths Convention ‘Sarvamat Sammelana’.
