As Amit Shah Tries to Disown Hegde's Dalit Remark, Congress Calls Him 'Political Chameleon'

Bengaluru/Mysore: Miffed by Amit Shah distancing himself from Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde’s remarks, Congress questioned the saffron party over inaction against "its party man for derogatory comments".

“Amit Shah, why can't you answer legitimate questions raised today in Mysuru about BJP Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde insulting Dalits? Why haven't you taken any action against your party man for such derogatory comments? This clearly shows that BJP endorses his hate-mongering (sic),” Karnataka Congress said in a tweet.

Calling Shah a “political chameleon”, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that BJP’s anti-Dalit mindset had been exposed again.

“BJP President, Amit Shah acts as a political chameleon and follows worst type of opportunism by publicly disowning Union Minister Anant Hegde. Will Amit Shah dare to sack Anant Hegde? Stop the doublespeak and act,” Surjewala tweeted.

Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ananth Kumar Hegde has recently been mired in controversy after he likened Dalits to “barking dogs” and said that the Constitution needs to be changed.

In January, Hegde arrived at Ballari to address a gathering. However, a group of Dalit activists blocked his vehicle and shouted slogans against him for his statement about changing the Constitution.

Hinting at the incident later, the minister later said, “I am very straightforward person and talk without hesitation. I am committed to help nurture the skill already prevalent among the youth and help them become independent. I am here to realise the dreams of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to transform the country into a skilled Bharat. We will go ahead with this commitment and not care about barking stray dogs.”

Earlier, Hegde had said, “Some people say the Constitution itself mentions secular and you must accept it. We will respect the Constitution but the Constitution has changed several times and it will change in the future too. We are here to change the Constitution and we will change it.”

Enraged over the minister’s remarks, scores of protesters ‘heckled’ Shah during his two-day visit to the old Mysuru region in the poll-bound Karnataka.

BJP state general secretary Sobha Karandlaje claimed that the agitators were sent to Rajendra Kala Mandir by Congress.

“The miscreants weren't really Dalit activists but were people placed by the Congress party in order to create a nuisance and disrupt Shah's meet. Congress has no right to talk about Dalits, especially after how they've treated G Parmeshwar and Mallikarjun Kharge of their own party. They have cheated B R Ambedkar,” she said.

Shah sought to pacify Dalit leaders by distancing from Hegde's controversial remarks.

"Neither the BJP nor me has anything to do with Hegde's statements. We don't endorse such remarks," Shah told the Dalit leaders at a meeting here where he sought their support for the party's victory in the May 12 assembly poll.

Police later detained Dalit leader Chiranahalli Shivanna in this regard.

BJP chief’s outreach to the Dalit community is significant as he tries to dent the support chief minister Siddaramaiah garners through his AHINDA (Kannada acronym for SC/ST and backward class) voters. The Dalit community forms about 1/5th or 20% of the voting population that the BJP would surely want to tap into 45-days ahead.