Even as those fighting for independent religion status for Lingayats and those against it are yet to sink their differences, the issue has seen a new twist with both claiming the support of Sri Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru, one of the prominent and influential religious institutions in south Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the mutt itself has chosen to remain completely silent, refusing to state its stand on the contentious issue.
Within a span of two days, the mutt, presided over by 110-year-old seer Sri Shivakumara Swami, has seen visits by seers having different stands on the Lingayata/Veerashaiva row, keen to get the support of the centenarian.
While Sri Veerasomeshwara Swami of Rambhapuri Peetha led a delegation of seers to meet Sri Shivakumara Swami on August 31, another delegation comprising of Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami of Panchamasali Peetha and former bureaucrat Shivanand Jamadar met the swami the very next day, trying to win him over. After the visits, both claimed that the seer concurred with their stand.
Interestingly, the centenarian heard the versions of both the delegations, but chose to keep mum during their visits. On both the occasions, junior seer Sri Siddalinga Swami, the designated successor to Siddaganga Mutt, responded to the delegation.
When The Hindu correspondent contacted Sri Siddalinga Swami in Tumakuru on Saturday, the swami declined to comment on the issue. “I will not speak to the newspapers on the issue,” he said.
‘Split not good’
Earlier in the week, after his meeting with the senior seer in the presence of junior seer, Sri Veerasomeshwara Swami told presspersons in Tumakuru that Siddalinga Swami had said that a split in the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community was not good for the community. In a press note, the Rambhapuri Mutt claimed that the senior swami concurred with them that both Veerashaiva and Lingayat were the same faith.
On Saturday in Bengaluru, Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami claimed that Sri Shivakumara Swami and Sri Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt had agreed to support “any movement intended to do good to the community” and advised them for a united fight to get religion status by resolving differences. In the absence of any clarification by the Siddaganga Mutt, the issue has become tricky now, further confusing the already confused lot of devotees of the community.
