Kalaburagi: Taking strong exception to the statement by Minister for Water Resources D.K. Shivakumar on the Lingayat religion issue, Jagadguru Sarangdhara Desikendra Swamiji of Saranga Mutt, Srisailam, has demanded an apology from him.
Praising former CM Siddaramaiah for his efforts to secure independent religion status for the Lingayats, the Jagadguru wondered why Mr Shivakumar remained silent when the Cabinet took the decision, of which he was a part. “Mr Shivakumar has issued the statement under duress from the Veerashaiva Swamiji, he has no business to poke his nose in the affairs of Lingayats. Mr Shivakumar is a Vokkaliga leader and he has no business to comment on our affairs. If Mr Shivakumar does not withdraw his statement and tender an apology, protests will be staged against him in the region”, the Jagadguru warned
Further the Swamiji remarked that Mr Shivakumar’s statement was borne out of his greed to become the CM. “Mr Shivakumar is neck-deep in many problems. Let him focus on those instead of making such mindless comments”, he remarked.
Declaring that their fight for an independent religion status has been going on for nine hundred years, the Jagadguru said they would knock on the doors of the Supreme Court. “Besides, we are confident that senior Congress leader Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, who played a pivotal role in getting the special status for Hyderabad Karnataka region, will definitely fulfil our demand as he is all set to become the PM after the coming Lok Sabha election”, he remarked.
