The statement made by the former Home Minister Araga Jnanendra about the skin colour of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has come under fire from various quarters.
Hanumanthappa Tippanna Pote, writer and president of Akhila Bharata Dalit Sahitya Sammelan, condemned the statement.
“What Mr. Jnanendra has said is unpardonable. His statement shows his character and upbringing. What can we say about such a person who discriminates against people on the basis of their skin colour or caste? What does he have against black colour? What is the colour of ragi? What is the colour of Lord Krishna, who is revered by Indians? The leader should introspect. Such leaders should know that such a discriminatory mindset is an obstacle to Karnataka becoming the peaceful garden of all communities as per Kuvempu’s dreams. Mr. Jnanendra’s statement has hurt the majority communities in India. It is an insult to Dalits, deprived classes and tribals. He should tender a public apology,” Dr. Pote said.
Congress MLC and Dalit leader Arvind Kumar Arali has said that the former Home Minister is mistaken on many counts. He seems to think that all the greenery in Karnataka is in the southern districts only. That is completely wrong. It shows that a State-level leader of a national party has not toured districts other than his own. Both Mr. Kharge and Mr. Khandre hail from Bidar, one of the greenest districts in the State. It has the second biggest patch of wild sandalwood after Mysuru district. It also has leopards, blackbuck, rare birds such as the Demosaile Crane and Jerdon’s Babbler in the jungles there. The Japan Bank of International Cooperation has extended financial assistance to the Central government to protect the sandalwood patch near Honnikeri. Rare medicinal plants are grown in the Chincholi and Humnabad forest ranges in Kalaburagi and Bidar districts.
Mr. Jnanendra also suffers from the toxic superiority complex of belonging to the feudal castes that think that dark-skinned people are not human beings at all. He needs to come out of it, if wants to be a true leader of the people. What is more, protection of forests is among the fundamental duties of every citizen of India. The Kasturirangan Committee report is aimed at protecting the Western Ghats. Opposing that amounts to supporting the destruction of forests and not following one’s fundamental duty. Mr. Jnanendra should be condemned for his anti-Constitutional statement, Mr. Arali said.
