Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjay Swami of Kudala Sangama Peetha said in Bailhongal on Monday that a mega rally in support of Basanagouda Patil Yatnal will be held in Vijayapura on May 11.
“As announced earlier, a district-level rally will be held in Belagavi on April 13. But then, a mega rally will be held in Vijayapura on May 11. This was decided in an all-community meeting in Vijayapura on Sunday. Mr. Yatnal is a strong leader from northern Karnataka. He is not limited to any one community. No one can deny that. No force can weaken Mr. Yatnal’s influence on northern Karnataka politics. He has been suspended without valid reasons. We demand that he be taken back honourably,” the seer said.
He said that he felt it was his duty to support Mr. Yatnal at this moment. “This is part of our heritage. Whenever the King is in trouble, the Gurus have rushed to his support. That is what happened in Kittur when the Kalmath seer did when Queen Channamma faced problems in the 19th century. A leader from northern Karnataka and a leader of our community is in trouble now, and we will stand with him. I will not respond to comments from politicians who say seers should not be involved in party politics,” the seer said.
Earlier, Mr. Yatnal and the seer visited Saundatti Yallamma temple and the resting place of Rani Channamma in Bailhongal.
Meanwhile, Raju Kage, MLA, criticised the seer, saying it was wrong on his part to try to protect the interests of an individual and not the whole community.
“It will send a wrong message to the community. Religious leaders should be above party politics,” Mr. Kage said in Kagwad on Monday.
Published – April 08, 2025 12:33 am IST
