Karnataka BJP MP and Dalit leader Ramesh Jigajinagi has openly expressed his displeasure against the party, saying that most Union Ministers belong to upper castes, whereas Dalits are not given prominence.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the Member of Parliament from Vijayapura said many people advised him against going to the BJP as it is ‘anti-Dalit’.
“There is no necessity for me to demand a Union Minister Post,” said Jigajinagi when asked about whether he aspires for a Cabinet Minister’s post. “People’s support is a necessity for me. But people scolded me badly when I came back(post the elections). Many Dalits argued with me about how the BJP is anti-Dalit, and that I should have known this before joining the party.”
“A Dalit man like me is the lone person who has won seven elections in South India. All upper caste people hold Cabinet positions. Haven’t Dalits ever supported the BJP? This has deeply pained me,” he added.
Ramesh Jigajinagi, 72, was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1998 and has won all elections since then. He was the Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation from 2016 and 2019.
Inputs by Sudath Bhardwaj
