A close confidant of CM Siddaramaiah, social welfare minister, H. Anjaneya is in the news again. Mr Anjaneya who is experimenting with several initiatives in his department, talked to DC on various issues.
Every month, he visits a tribal colony and spends a night with tribals. Whenever he goes on a tour, he makes it a point to visit government-run hostels. He spends time with students, tastes food with them and gives them a pep talk.
He rues that this is not covered by the media, but his controversial statements are. During an interview, Mr Anjaneya strongly defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah besides speaking about the Dalit CM issue. Here are excerpts.
You are in news since the last two weeks..
No. I am not in any news. I am a minister, so it is natural that whatever I speak, it becomes news. I never had any intention to create news. I am a fighter, one who underwent pain, social boycott. I speak when I see people undergoing pain.
You made a remark comparing private schools to brothels. Do you regret it now?
It is a closed chapter. Why do you want to reopen it? A lady came to me and cried, she had pledged her gold and enrolled her child in a private school. Now, that school is not giving him the respect he deserves. I was disturbed. I used that word out of frustration and anger. It is a fact that many private institutions are rendering good service to society, giving free hostel and boarding facilities. My comment applies to institutions which treat children enrolled under RTE with utmost contempt.
While speaking at a Madiga community function last week, you said former KPSC chairman Gonal Bhimappa, one of the accused in KPSC scam, would be protected. This has sent wrong signals.
JD(S) chief H.D. Deve Gowda was at the function. He said the community should give protection to Mr Bhimappa. I therefore said the community would protect him.
The issue here is you are a minister and he is your close relative. So, your statement gives an impression that the government will protect him. How ethical is your statement?
Legally whatever is possible, he will get it. He is not a convict. He is an accused. The law is very clear. He deserves respect. But I want to make it clear. As minister, I will not protect him. It is the law which has to decide. I will not interfere in the case. Our government will not help him.
A private TV channel did a sting operation on your wife. Then, the government ordered a CID probe. We have heard nothing from CID about the investigation...
The CID probe is on. The CM had said this on the floor of the House.
If the probe is on, then the CID would have met you and your wife with a set of questions.
No one has met me so far. That does not mean the investigation is off.
Let us discuss other issues. One is the statement of Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah. Recently, he said a conspiracy was being hatched to unseat him because he is from an OBC community.
Our system is like that. It is not transparent or free from caste bias.
When the party went to elections, people did not think of this caste angle. They gave your party a majority. When you make mistakes, the caste angle comes in.
People are not bothered about this. Only some leaders think like this.
Recently you said Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress leader in Lok Sabha) had an opportunity to become CM. But the party did not come to power in 2008, so he lost it. Now that the Dalit CM debate is going on, Mr Siddaramaiah can voluntarily relinquish the CM post and Mr Kharge can become CM.
It cannot be a reality. Do you know where Mr Kharge is now? If Congress comes to power at Centre, he can be considered for PM’s post. He is the party leader in Lok Sabha which is much higher than the CM post.
By issuing that statement against Mr Kharge, did you not insult him?
No. When both Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Kharge have been discharging different duties, it is not fair to talk about removing Mr Siddaramaiah and bringing in Mr Kharge. The High command, legislature party and people wanted Mr Siddaramaiah to become CM. He will continue for the next two years.
You spoke about people’s wishes. A section of the public including a pontiff pitched for a Dalit CM. What is wrong if a Dalit leader becomes CM now?
I am not saying it is wrong (to demand a Dalit CM). How fair is it to unseat one and bring in the other? Can this be dharma?
It is part of social justice..
How will it be social justice? During elections, the issue of social justice comes up. We in the Congress treat Dalits with utmost respect. Both Mr Kharge and Mr Muniyappa became ministers. Did BJP make Ramesh Jigajinagi (a Dalit leader) Cabinet minister?
You have completed three years as social welfare minister. The feedback from Dalit leaders is that some schemes have been implemented after you took over but corruption has become rampant.
(Agitated Where is corruption in our department? Show me, where is it? Was there any Lokayukta raid? No.
They are saying if you set aside Rs 100, only Rs 40 is reaching beneficiaries from the oppressed sections.
Do you think it is easy to indulge in corruption? There are strict checks and balances. Those who level such charges do not know how the department is run. Some people who applied for schemes might not have got it. Because, under every scheme, we get thousands of applications and among those, we have to select a few hundred. Those who are left out will make such noises.
