Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani should clarify the claims he has made on his social media handles that he has donated huge sums of money to the Panchamasali Peetha in Kudalasangama. If the claims are true, then the mutt will return all that money. If I need any money, I will beg,’’ Sri Basavajaya Mrutyunjay Swami, seer of the math, said in Belagavi on Wednesday.
“There are some posts on Mr. Nirani’s social media handles and his web page stating that he has donated money to the Kudalasangama Peetha. But we don’t think it is correct. If we have built peetha over the years, it is because of the contribution by countless devotees and not any single leader. This amounts to saying that our math is indebted to Mr. Nirani. The charge has caused a lot of pain,’’ he said.
“Some members of his family have made similar claims in interviews to TV channels and portals. The Minister should clarify the claims. Has he posted them himself or someone else has posted them on his behalf? He should prove that he has donated money to establish or maintain the peetha. We will then make sure that all the funds will be returned to him. I will put a bag around my shoulder and go around begging from followers of the peetha to collect the sum that will be due to him,’’ the seer told journalists.
He was speaking after the national executive committee meeting of the Akhil Bharat Lingayat Panchamasali Mahasabha (ABLPM). The swami said that the ABLPM members have adopted a resolution condemning attempts to establish the third peetha. In the resolution, “we have said that Mr. Nirani is behind it and we need to condemn it with all force. Mr. Nirani should stop dividing the community by setting up multiple peethas and creating multiple seers,” he said. The community has decided to stay away from those who are trying to set up the third peetha, he added.
“We have also resolved to step up the agitation for re-categorisation of Panchamasalis into 2A category. We want to remind Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to keep his promise of including our community into 2A category. We also want to request the Union Government to include Panchamasalis in the Central OBC list,” he said.
The Mahasabha will take up a State-wide agitation if the demands are not met, he said.
