Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah warned that legislatures worldwide risk becoming subservient to dictators rather than serving as arenas of democratic dialogue, as he identified fanaticism as democracy’s primary enemy at the 11th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region Conference in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha, Siddaramaiah painted a stark picture of democracy under siege globally. “Hollow fanaticism creates dictators who silence dissent, the phenomena which we are seeing worldwide. In such moments, legislatures risk submission to a dictator rather than serving as arenas of dialogue,” he stated, highlighting what he termed the first major threat to democratic institutions.
The chief minister identified three critical enemies of democracy that require urgent attention. Beyond fanaticism creating dictatorial tendencies, he warned against the “politics of division and identity” where caste, religion, or language are weaponised for political gain. “When caste, religion, or language are weaponised for political gain, legislatures risk becoming arenas of exclusion rather than inclusion,” he observed.
Siddaramaiah also criticised the growing influence of “social Darwinism” – the belief that only the strongest deserve to thrive – calling it a corrosive force that undermines democracy’s promise of equality.
“A true republic is judged not by how it empowers the powerful, but by how it uplifts the weakest,” he emphasised.
The third major threat, according to the chief minister, is the erosion of democratic culture itself.
“When public debate turns into hostility, when legislatures become arenas of disruption rather than deliberation, the culture of democracy itself begins to decay,” he warned, echoing concerns about the deteriorating quality of parliamentary discourse.
Addressing contemporary challenges, Siddaramaiah highlighted the dangers of misinformation.
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“In today’s world, the rise of a post-truth culture, where emotions often outweigh facts, and misinformation spreads faster than reason, poses a grave danger to democracy. Legislatures must reclaim the space of truth, evidence, and rational debate,” he said.
Drawing from Karnataka’s rich democratic heritage, the chief minister referred to the 12th-century Anubhava Mantapa, established by Basavanna, as a “true parliament of the people” where dialogue and equality flourished without hierarchy.