Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD/SP)

Udupi, Dec 24: Former minister Pramod Madhwaraj, said that the erstwhile Congress government was on the verge of taking over the administration of Srikrishna Math. Madhwaraj revealed that the then Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah had conspired to bring the Math under the rule of the department of religious endowments.

Pramod Madhwaraj, who was a minister under Siddaramaiah, made public this information. He was speaking after taking part in the ongoing 'Vishwarpanam' programme being organized by Paryaya Admar Math at the Rajangan of the Math, on Thursday December 23.

Pramod said that as soon he got the wind of the plan of the previous government to take over the Math, he immediately contacted the chief minister and informed him that the former would be the first to resign if such a move is envisaged. He said he did his bit to stall any harm which might have been created to Srikrishna Math and therefore, nurses a feeling of satisfaction at having done some service and blocked the said effort.

"During the Paryaya period of Palimaru Swamiji, drainage water used to seep into the Madhwa Sarovar and other wells of the Math. Therefore, a grant of Rs 45 lac had been sanctioned by the municipality and the underground drainage problem was addressed," he recalled.

He said that public interest litigations had been filed seeking his removal as a legislator for having taken oath in the name of Udupi Lord Srikrishna and Mukhyaprana. "But I did not face any problem from these efforts," he explained. He wondered about the fact that people with this type of mindset also exist.

Paryaya Sri Ishapriya Theertha Swamiji, and Sri Dharmapalanatha Swamiji, who heads Mangaluru branch of Adichunchanagiri Math, were present.