Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister, on Tuesday spoke in favour of inter-caste and inter-religion marriages.

Speaking at a mass marriage programme organised by Suttur Mutt as part of its annual Jatra Mahotsava, Mr. Siddaramaiah said simple marriages had become the need of the hour in society that is undergoing difficult economic conditions. He said inter-caste marriages would help society become casteless. He recalled that social reformer Basavanna had organised inter-caste marriages about 850 years ago. He regretted that untouchability still existed.

Mr. Siddaramaiah went on to support inter-faith marriages too. “Inter-religious marriages should happen,” he said while criticising the opposition to such marriages from right wing ideologues citing ‘love jihad’. “Everybody is born as human and dies as a human,” he said while recalling poet laureate Kuvempu’s words on how a child is human when he is born, but comes petty as he grows and ages.

Referring to the ostentatious display of wealth at weddings, he sought the continuation of restrictions in force during the pandemic. He criticised the tendency of the rich to display their wealth at weddings.

Mr. Siddaramaiah also criticised the variety of food served to the people at weddings. At weddings inwealthy families, one can find as many as 30 variety of dishes, most of which goes to waste. He recalled how the late seer of Suttur Mutt Sri Rajendra Swami had gifted him ₹5 after a folk dance performance at the mutt in 1954. Mr. Siddaramaiah said he was around 9 or 10 then and had used the ₹5 to buy a sheep.

A total of 23 couples tied the knot on the day. Suttur mutt seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami, Minister for Co-operation S.T. Somashekar, who is also the Minister in-charge of Mysuru district, and the president of Karnataka’s Mahila Congress Wing Pushpa Amarnath, were present.