by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore
Mysore, May 3: Pejawar Mutt Seer Sri Vishweshwara Thirtha Swamiji has announced that he was ready to undertake a day's fast along with heads of other Mutts to arrest the atrocities on dalits in the name of untouchability.
He made this declaration in response to the plea made by the former Union Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad while addressing the large gathering in the valedictory of Basava Jayanthi in Kalamandira here yesterday under the joint auspices of the District Administration, Department of Kannada and Culture, All India Veerashaiva Mahasa-bha, Basava Balaga and Veerashaiva Sangha.
"As the head of the Mutt, propagating Sanatana Dharma, I am fighting against untouchability relentlessly since 1970. Since heads of Mutts who had expressed their ire against my stand have now accepted it and have joined hands with me. Although our fight has all along been an honest one, it has not found much success," the Seer observed.
"On several occasions in the past, I have undertaken fast for 24 hours whenever atrocities were committed against the dalits in the name of untouchability. Now I am ready to undertake a day's fast to arrest untouchability. But, everyone must accept the call in one voice. Towards achieving success, I will make an honest attempt to interact with all the religious heads," the Seer announced.
"Hindu Dharma is like the sacred river Ganga. But, in the recent past, we are polluting the sacred river," the Seer lamented.
There was no possibility of the Hindu society's progress until and unless the dalits and backward class people were respected, the Seer opined.
He would not feel at peace until the main scourge of our society, namely untouchability, was eradicated, he declared, adding that all the religious heads would do well to carry out an exercise of self-introspection taken up by Basavanna to achieve equality among the various castes.
The revolutionary thoughts of Basavanna were responsible for strengthening the Hindu religion, the Seer remarked and added that Basavanna propagated his essential Bhakthi message through Dasa Sahitya, easily absorbed by common people. His thoughts also had influenced the Vaishnava Dharma prevalent during that period, the Seer opined.
Seer's call to netas to utilise money properly
Mysore, May 3 (MDS&BRS)- Pejawar Mutt Head Sri Vishweshara Thirtha Swamiji gave a call for using the money spent by politicians for display of power and wealth on people-friendly activities.
That is how the Seer reacted to a question posed by the former Union Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad while taking part in the valedictory of Basava jayanthi in Kalamandira here yesterday.
The former Minister, while taking part in a function recently had said that 20 tons of ghee used and Rs. 9 crore spent for a homa performed in Shimoga and had asked the seer if such blind beliefs were not preventable and the huge sum of money spent for the cause of have nots?
In his response, the Seer said that spending money for display of wealth was not right. In recent times, politicians were also spending huge sums of money for showing their power. Such amounts too could be spent on alleviating the misery of the poor in our society. He was not, at the same time, justifying the money spent on the homa, the Seer said.
It was not just the politicians. Money was being spent in our society on luxury in many ways. Such wasteful spending must be avoided and the same must be made available to meet the dire needs of the weaker sections of society, in Seer added.