Mysuru, 24 May

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah opened up to the public at an event here on Thursday night, recalling his failed ‘love story’ due to casteism in society.

During an event on inter-caste marriage on the occasion of ‘Buddha Purnima’, the full moon night when Gautam Buddha was born, he went on a flashback to his college days.

“I wanted to have an inter-caste marriage but it did not happen. The girl did not accept it,” Siddaramaiah said.

Elaborating further, he said, “When I was studying I had fallen in love with a girl. Don’t mistake me. I had thought of marrying her but her family and also the girl did not agree. Hence, the marriage did not happen. A situation emerged where I had to marry a girl from my caste only. My marriage happened within my community,” he said.

This candidness was met with audience’s claps, laughter and cheer.

Extending his full support and cooperation to inter-caste marriages, Siddaramaiah promised that his government will offer all assistance for inter-caste marriages.

According to him, efforts to abolish casteism and build equality in society have been happening since the time of Gautama Buddha and 12th Century AD social reformer from Karnataka, Lord Basaveshwara.

“There are two ways to abolish casteism – one is inter-caste marriages and second one is socio-economic empowerment among all communities. Social equality cannot happen in a society without socio-economic upliftment,” he said. -PTI