Mysuru: Pejawar seer Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji on Tuesday said that Veerashaivas and Lingayats are not different as is being projected and both belong to the Hindu religion.
“I am committed to my statement and always ready for debate on it with anyone who demands separate religion status for both communities," he said while speaking to the media during his visit to Krishna Matha in Mysuru on Tuesday to participate in Chathurmasa vratha.
He said that even Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains belong to Hindu religion but were divided during the reign of the British.
Hindu religion existed much before Buddhism emerged. Buddha was not God, he worshipped God too. Those who worship Lord Vishnu, Shiva, Ganapati and Goddess Durga are all Hindus, he said.
The seer expressed the hope that the new Bharatiya Janata Party government would provide scam free governance. He also expressed his desire to strengthen Hindu dharma by bringing Dalits into the mainstream to make them economically strong.
