Days after Brahmin Development Board Chairman Sachidanada Murthy submitted a complaint against Sandalwood actor and activist Chetan Kumar, Minister for Labour Department, Shivaram Hebbar, tweeted asking for the arrest of the actor-activist, alleging that his tweets were hurtful towards Brahmins. Hebbar also claimed that Kumar’s statements are contradictory to what Babasaheb Ambedkar proposed in the Constitution. The minister called Chetan an “armchair” activist, and urged Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to take action against the actor.
Hebbar tweeted saying that he heard about the actor Chetan and his alleged derogatory and provocative comments against Brahmins on social networking sites and his condemnation of the same. He further wrote that he has insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. “Further, Babasaheb Ambedkar has given status to every religion and caste in the Constitution. This man's statement is contrary to the constitution and insults the architect Ambedkar,” he wrote urging the CM to arrest the actor and those of his likes who are a “danger” to the society.
#Brahminism—graded hierarchy of humans based on birth—still exists on systemic & ideological levels amongst those of all castes & many religions in South Asia
— Chetan Kumar / ಚೇತನ್ (@ChetanAhimsa) June 11, 2021
Panacea to such structural inequality is rational egalitariansm of Buddha/Basava,Sharanas/Ambedkar/Periyar/Bahujan icons
#Brahminism can also be defined as birthright-based entitlement & superiority
— Chetan Kumar / ಚೇತನ್ (@ChetanAhimsa) June 11, 2021
Political parties across the nation reinforce this discrimination & dehumanisation through rhetoric, actions, & policies
We have a Constitutional responsibility to oppose Brahminism & all inequality
#Basava & Sharanas set up Anubhava Mantapa (Hall of Experiences) in 12th c Karnataka
— Chetan Kumar / ಚೇತನ್ (@ChetanAhimsa) June 11, 2021
In this democratic parliament, #Sharanas ‘criticised/challenged/corrected/corroborated each others’ views’ & attacked superstition
We must live discourse & rationality of #AnubhavaMantapa today pic.twitter.com/rbmyYNcjep
The actor has been under the scanner for his tweet wherein he quoted Ambedkar and Periyar and their criticism of the caste system and Brahminism. Firstly, the Brahmin Development Board in the state had submitted a complaint to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner saying that his statements equate practising Brahminism to being a terrorist; and are hurtful to the community.
ಇನ್ನು, ಬಾಬಾ ಸಾಹೇಬ್ ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಅವರು ಸಂವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ಧರ್ಮ, ಜಾತಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಸ್ಥಾನಮಾನ ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಈ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ಸಂವಿಧಾನಕ್ಕೆ ವಿರೋಧವಾದುದು ಮತ್ತು ಸಂವಿಧಾನ ಶಿಲ್ಪಿ ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅವಮಾನ ಮಾಡುವಂತಹದು.
— Shivaram Hebbar (@ShivaramHebbar) June 11, 2021
ಸಮಾಜದಲ್ಲಿ ತಾನು ಗುರುತಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು ಅಂತಲೋ, ಗಂಜೀ ಕಾಸಿನ ಆಸೆಗೋ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ಕೊಡೋ ಇಂತಹ
ಸಮಾಜ ಕಂಟಕರನ್ನು ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಚೌಕಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂಧಿಸಿ, ಕಠಿಣ ಕ್ರಮ ಜರುಗಿಸಬೇಕೆಂದು ಸನ್ಮಾನ್ಯ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ಬಿ ಎಸ್ ಯಡಿಯೂರಪ್ಪ ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಮನವಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತೇನೆ.@BSYBJP | @CMofKarnataka | @KarnatakaVarthe | @tv9kannada | @AsianetNewsSN | @publictvnews
— Shivaram Hebbar (@ShivaramHebbar) June 11, 2021
The actor, on June 6, had tweeted a photo of himself and captioned it, “Brahminism is negation of the spirit of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity…we must uproot Brahminism— #Ambedkar ‘While all are born as equals, to say that Brahmins alone are highest & all others are low as Untouchables is sheer nonsense. It is a big hoax’ — #Periyar.”
His critics alleged that the following quotes are not factual and asked him to apologise to Brahmins for hurting their sentiments.
The actor, however, had earlier told TNM that the tweet was factual and that he dreams to create a society without disparity.