Former Congress president and MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday lauded the services rendered to humanity by Sri Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru and said the mutt has been providing services to lakhs of people without consideration of religion or caste divides.
Mr. Gandhi visited the Mutt and paid his respect to the late Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt on his 115th birth anniversary.
Addressing students and seers, he recalled the long association of the Gandhi family with the mutt and said former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi had visited the mutt. “Our family relations with the mutt are not only old but respectful,” he said.
The Congress leader recalled the 12 th century social reformer Basavanna’s philosophy of ensuing social equality and justice without discrimination and said, “The country needs to stop hate on the basis of religion and caste.” The mutt was preaching communal harmony and peaceful co-existence of all sections of society. “For that I will congratulate the seers and supporters of the mutt,” he said.
Acknowledging the work done by the mutt over several decades, Mr. Gandhi said “We have to walk on the path shown by the late Shivakumara Swami... I am happy to see the work of the mutt and institutions which are providing education and guiding the future of lakhs of students,” he said.
“By coming here, I have got an opportunity to speak to you (seers and students). We will help you (mutt) for any kind of work,” he said amidst cheer from participants. The Lingayat Mutt has a huge following across the State.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Gandhi, who participated in a protest organised by the party against frequent hike of fuel prices in New Delhi, arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport at 3 p.m. and travelled by road to the mutt in Tumakuru.
Mr. Gandhi was accompanied by Congress leaders, including KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, former KPCC president G. Parameshwara among others. On his way to Tumakuru, Mr. Gandhi was welcomed by party workers at different locations.
On Friday, Mr. Gandhi will address office-bearers of the KPCC, frontal organisations, State leaders, and all other senior leaders in the State on Friday at the party office at 10.30 a.m., where he is expected to exhort party leaders to gear up for the State Legislative Assembly elections due next year.
