Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Jul 31: "During my recent interaction with the Prime Minister (PM) at New Delhi, I urged him to implement law banning cow slaughter, purification of Ganga River, and undertake construction of Ram Mandir, on priority," said Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Pejawar Math.

He was speaking at a press conference held here on Tuesday July 30.

The Swamiji said that the money that would be collected during this Chaturmasa period here would be used to build a students’ hostel here, set up a home for the aged, construction of school and for the development of Vidyamandir. He said that his Math has undertaken construction of a huge hospital at Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 25 crore. "We have started religious educational centre at Pajaka near Udupi where modern education would be imparted in addition to providing information about Hindu religion and culture," he explained.

About demand for separate Lingayat religion, he pointed out that people who believe in Hindu Gods like Vishnu, Shiva, Ganapati, Goddess Durga etc cannot be belonging to any religion other than Hinduism. "In the past, all were Hindus. Because of the British policy of divide and rule, Budhists, Jains, Sikhs etc separated from Hinduism. I request those who have discarded Hindusim to come back and strengthen it," he requested.

He said he is open to the idea of holding friendly discussions with Jamdar, Sanehalli Swamiji, minister, M B Patil etc who are staunch advocates of granting separate religious status to Lingayat,", he said, duly extending invitation to these leaders once again. He said they can come to Mysuru for the discussions, and on the other hand, offered to visit the spot suggested by them to hold interaction. "I am a friend of Lingayats, not their adversary," he stated.