Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 9: After getting re-elected unanimously as the president of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, Dr Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who also is the Congress MLA from Davanagere (south) constituency, warned that vested interests have been plotting and lurking to break Veerashaiva religious group. He asked everyone to be wary of such people.

Shivashankarappa was speaking after taking over charge of the Mahasabha again on Monday. "Veerashaiva and Lingayat are one and the same religious group. Some vested interests are determined to break them. They had created such a critical situation that the society was about to crumble. They have since been lying low. But we should stay united and be careful against those who try to do evil things," he said.

N Tippanna, who has been chosen as state president of the Mahasabha, noted that in the past, 95 to 100 legislators in the assembly were from this religious group. He noted with concern that this number has now gone down to 50, and as far as number of legislators is concerned, their group is placed third. He said that a concerted effort to increase the number of legislators from this group should be made in order to strengthen power and political clout.

He said that if people remain silent, some people will make fresh bid to break the society and asked them to openly reject efforts if they are renewed to break the group. He said that the Mahasabha plans to build a hostel for the students from this religious group for which friends of Shivashankarappa have donated 2.5 acres of land. He said that this hostel will come up within five years, and asked people from the community to support the project.

Newly elected office bearers were felicitated on this occasion.