Lingayat Mahasabha distances itself from Mathe's support Cong' declaration
Bengaluru: A day after Mathe Mahadevi, pontiff of the Basava Dharma Peetha, Koodalasangama, openly declared support for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress Party for sending a proposal to the Union government seeking religious minority status for Lingayats, several leaders affiliated to Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha have distanced themselves from her opinion stating that it was her 'personal view' and not that of the Mahasabha.
Mr S.M. Jamdhar, a retired IAS officer who is championing the cause of Lingayats, told Deccan Chronicle that the Mahasabha on Saturday adopted an unanimous resolution that " the Mahasabha and Lingayat Mathadeeshara Vedike and every Lingayat will support and cast votes in favor of any party that backs our cause of securing minority status and will support us in the coming days. Those who does not support our cause will not get our votes". He said this resolution was adopted after Mathe Mahadevi left the venue.
“The Mahasabha had never named any political party....whatever Mathe Mahadevi had said is her individual opinion. Her statement is not the view of the Mahasabha," he asserted.
On Saturday, the woman pontiff shocked everyone stating that Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha had decided to back the CM and the Congress for responding positively to the cause of Lingayats.
Close on the heels of her statement, former minister and JD(S) MLC, Basavaraj Horatti distanced himself from Mathe's statement contending that it was her personal opinion. He told this reporter that Lingayat leaders, cutting across party affiliations, had been associated with the Mahasabha for months. “What can we do if she makes such a statement? This has hurt Lingayat leaders of other parties who are supporting the cause".
Mr Horatti said all these days, they had maintained an 'apolitical' stand and now a fresh controversy had been created because of Mathe's statement. Even the seers of several maths have expressed their displeasure over her open support to the Congress Party and wanted the Mahasabha to clarify its stand before it was too late. " She is free to take any stand as head of Basava Dharma Peeta but cannot make such a statement under the banner of Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha", he added.
