Secularism in words, caste in practice

 

The sight of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah being surrounded by Lingayat swamis, draped in garlands and showered with blessings, raises uncomfortable questions about the relationship between politics and religion in Karnataka. It is not unusual for ministers and chief ministers to accept felicitations from swamis, but when such public gestures turn into recurring rituals, the symbolism cannot be ignored.

Swamis, as religious heads of caste-based mathas, rarely felicitate leaders out of pure goodwill. More often, such occasions are carefully crafted opportunities to press community-specific demands, ranging from educational institutions to government grants and political recognition. For the ministers, the spectacle serves as a signal of caste support, which remains a crucial electoral calculation. For the public, however, it conveys the impression that administration bends before caste arithmetic rather than standing above it.

Siddaramaiah has consistently spoken of building a casteless and egalitarian society. Yet, when he unquestioningly accepts these honours from swamijis, he sends a contradictory message. On the one hand, his political philosophy is rooted in social justice and secularism; on the other hand, his public conduct legitimises caste as the basis of influence in governance. This dissonance between words and actions erodes the credibility of secular politics.

What is at stake is more than just optics. When state leaders seek legitimacy from religious heads, it blurs the line between administration and sectarian demands. It allows swamis to act as power brokers, reducing governance to negotiations with caste lobbies. The result is a distortion of democracy, where secular institutions are weakened and citizens are compelled to view politics only through the prism of community identity.

In a society striving to move beyond caste, such scenes are deeply regressive. True leadership demands that ministers, including the chief minister, engage with swamis as private citizens if needed, but resist the temptation to display such caste-flavoured felicitation ceremonies in the public sphere. For now, the contradiction remains glaring: Karnataka’s leadership preaches castelessness but practices caste politics with garlands and blessings.

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