Belagavi: Water Resources Minister, D.K. Shivakumar has come under fire from the BJP for referring to the religion of the doctor treating Shivakumara Swamiji in Chennai,
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Mr. Shivakumar said that Shivakumar Swamiji was getting the best treatment in a Chennai Hospital.
“We are busy talking about religion, but the doctor from a minority community has successfully operated on swamiji and given him the best treatment,” he observed, referring to Dr. Mohammed Rela, head of the Dr. Rela Institute of Medical Centre, where the seer has been admitted.
Mr. Shivakumar visited Chennai on Sunday to enquire about the health of the swamiji and met Dr. Rela and his team.
But soon after his statement, the BJP came down hard on him for bringing in religion into the matter. Said senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, R. Ashok, “It is not right to give a religious colour to such issues. Doctors do not belong to any community or religion. Being a minister, Mr. Shivakumar has made an irresponsible statement, which is in bad taste."
Senior BJP leader, K.S. Eshwarappa and party MP, Shobha Karandlaje too condemned Mr. Shivakumar's statement, saying it smacked of "cheap politics" of the Congress party.
The junior seer of the Siddaganga Matha too seemed offended by the Minister's statement. "We have not considered religion when admitting Shivakumar Swamiji into a hospital," he told reporters.
But standing by his statement, the minister replied that it had been misinterpreted by the BJP to gain political mileage.
“I only said that there was no relation between religion and medical treatment. But the BJP has misinterpreted it. If anyone is hurt by what I said, I apologise," he said.
