Dharwad: Identifying great leaders who have dedicated their lives for the good of the nation, with caste is an unhealthy trend, said MLA Aravind Bellad.
Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day seminar on “The role of Dr. B R Ambedkar in building Vibrant India” at Karnataka University, Bellad said, “Great leaders who contributed their might for the upliftment of the nation, never bothered about things like caste and creed. However, today we see Dr. Ambedkar being depicted as an icon of the Dalits, Basavanna as that of Lingayats, Rani Chennamma as Panchamsali Lingayat and Sangolli Rayanna as a leader of Kurubas, which should not happen.
Unfortunately, this trend is growing in the society. Even Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi are not spared.”
Terming the caste system as a major hurdle in the way of taking the nation on the path of progress, Bellad said the younger generation should take up the onus of eradicating caste system adding that workshops, symposiums on Dr. Ambedkar should be held regularly from school to university levels.
In view of the caste system being rampant in the society, the younger generation should be exposed to the works of stalwarts who strived hard for social transformation, he said.
In his keynote address, R V Chandrashekhar, convener of the organising committee of the seminar, said Dr. Ambedkar occupied top position among personalities who had dedicated their lives for the cause of nation building. But neither universities nor the governments have made efforts to adopt and apply his ideologies and principles in academics or administration, he lamented.
KUD Vice Chancellor Pramod Gai presided over.
