Seer reluctant to have PM Narendra Modi for ‘Guruvandana’

Tumkur: Siddaganga Math seer, Sri Shivakumara Swamiji reportedly turned down the idea of inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 107th guruvandana programme planned for October in Tumkur, when it was put to him by former Chief Minister, B. S. Yeddyurappa, an ardent devotee, on Saturday.

The seer felt having the Prime Minister at the event would require too much security, according to sources. Unhappy with any massive show on his behalf, he also reportedly felt the guruvandana programme should be toned down and only accepted holding it when told by Mr Yeddyurappa that thousands of his devotees in Karnataka and other parts of the country were looking forward to it.

The Lingayat strongman, who was conveying to the seer the wishes of the Veerashaiva swamijis to invite Mr Modi to the guruvanda programme, however told reporters later that the Prime Minister would be invited as decided at the Veerashaiva swamijis’ Samalochana Sabha in Bengaluru.

“Sri Shivakumara Swamiji deserves the Bharat Ratna and the Bhakta Mandali will ask Mr Modi to confer it on him taking his selfless service into consideration,” he said. Mr Yeddyurappa was accompanied by former MP G. S. Basavaraj, former minister Renukacharya, and BJP leader Lokeshwar on his visit to the math.

When asked whether he expected to join the Modi cabinet, he said he did not nurse such ambitions and had already conveyed it to Mr. Modi.