An audio clip, purportedly of Gulihatti Shekhar asking BJP national general secretary BL Santosh why he was denied entry to a museum, has gone viral on social media.
File photo of Gulihatti Shekhar. (Goolihattidshekharmla/Facebook)
BJP leader and former Karnataka minister Gulihatti Shekhar has levelled serious allegations against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that he was denied entry to Nagpur’s Hedgewar Museum earlier this year for being a Dalit.
A purported audio clip of the former Hosadurga MLA seeking clarification from BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh as to why he was denied entry to the museum has gone viral on social media platforms.
Shekhar confirmed to reporters that it was he who shared the audio on social media as he was deeply pained by the incident. He had sent the same audio message to BL Santosh.
The incident reportedly occurred months before the May 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, claimed Shekhar.
Refuting the allegations, the RSS’ Bengaluru wing, said in a press statement that there was no such practice in place at the museum or the organisation’s office.
The Congress criticised BJP and RSS leaders for the caste discrimination meted out to a Dalit leader.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders — including Karnataka Assembly’s Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R Ashok — refrained from answering to the allegations in Belagavi.
A statement related to the bitter experience during his visit to the RSS office in Nagpur was shared in the form of audio on social media by the former minister himself.
In the aforementioned audio clip that went viral, Shekhar could be heard alleging that he was denied entry to the museum only because he belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC).
Shekhar said: “Three months before the election was announced, I visited the office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Nagpur, Maharashtra. I am proud of being a Hindu even though I belong to an SC. I sat there happily. However, there was a bitter experience while entering the Hedgewar museum.”
He continued: “Information about visitors to the museum was collected at the entrance. A man stopped me as I registered my name in the book and stepped inside. He clarified that there was no entry for those belonging to SCs. Only Mohan Vaidya and Manju who were with me went inside. I had to sit outside and wait.”
Shekhar said he apprised BL Santhosh of this in a WhatsApp chat.
“A Narayanaswamy, who belongs to an SC, has been elected from the Chitradurga Lok Sabha constituency. It is surmised that Narayanaswamy and former minister Govinda Karjol have been given admission here [to the museum]. Can BL Santhosh explain why I was not allowed inside?” he asked,
It may be noted that Gulihatti Shekhar was denied a ticket from Hosadurga by the BJP high command in this year’s Karnataka Assembly polls. He rebelled and contested unsuccessfully as an independent from the same segment.
Stating that he was deeply pained by the humiliation at the museum, Shekhar told Kannada daily Prajavani: “I had high regard for RSS leaders because they served the country. I was deeply hurt when I was denied entry into the museum. I was not able to openly share my opinion about the incident as I was under the influence of the political party. However, I spoke with many leaders privately about the incident.”
He added: “As no one has responded properly, I have disclosed that I stand by my statement. This is my bitter experience.”
In response to the allegations, the RSS issued a firm and categorical denial, refuting claims that entry to its premises was restricted based on caste.
The RSS, headquartered in Nagpur, emphasised its open-door policy, asserting that there was no system in place to restrict access to its offices or memorial buildings.
In a press statement, the RSS’s Bengaluru wing said: “Thousands of individuals, spanning various castes and classes, freely come and go without encountering any barriers.”
The RSS challenged the timing and authenticity of Shekhar’s allegations, highlighting that the incident supposedly occurred four prior to the Assembly elections, and yet the former MLA chose not to disclose this purported “humiliation” in subsequent meetings with RSS leaders.
After the audio went viral, BJP leaders — including Karnataka LoP R Ashok — refrained from responding to the allegations.
On the allegations of Shekhar, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned alleged caste-based discrimination within RSS, challenging its commitment to unity and urging Dalit representation.
He took to X (formerly Twitter) to say: “Shudras and Dalits are effectively barred from the inner circles of the RSS. A revealing WhatsApp voice recording sent by the ex-BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekhar to B L Santosh shows this reality.”
Siddaramaiah added, “The leaders of the Sangh Parivar, who always chant the mantra ‘We are all Hindus’, actually try to socially marginalise Shudra and Dalit communities.”
Shudras and Dalits are effectively barred from the inner circles of the RSS. A revealing WhatsApp voice recording sent by the ex-BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekhar to B L Santosh shows this reality.
Both the BJP and the RSS Parivar, while openly opposing Muslims, also covertly… pic.twitter.com/yhnqLuZQEM
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 6, 2023
He went on to highlight the dichotomy within the RSS, emphasising that leaders like Gulihatti Shekhar could find protection only in the ideals of BR Ambedkar and the constitution rather than the thoughts propagated by figures like VD Savarkar and RSS founder MS Golwalkar.
The chief minister underscored the ongoing importance of reservation as a powerful instrument in eliminating casteism, stating, “I have repeatedly stated, ‘Reservation must persist as long as casteism and untouchability prevail’. I strongly advocate that reservations are an essential tool in dismantling caste barriers.”
Siddaramaiah also drew to the irony of leaders questioning the need for extended reservation while incidents like Shekhar’s alleged humiliation persisted.
He also posed a pointed question: “A century has passed since the RSS was founded, yet not a single individual from the lower castes has risen to its top ranks. Why are these positions exclusively reserved for a single caste?”
He challenges the Sangh Parivar to prove its commitment to unity by appointing a Dalit leader to a significant post within the organization.
Siddaramaiah concluded by urging the Shudra and Dalit communities to open their eyes to the alleged truth behind the Sangh Parivar’s politics, which, he claimed, was exploiting these communities for political gain while denying them opportunities.
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