Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared open, via videoconference, the annual jatra of the Sri Siddharameshwar Mutt of Mugalkhod village in Belagavi district on Friday evening. The event, at a Veerashaiva mutt, had over 10,000 youth dressed as Swami Vivekananda.
He called upon the youth not to be swayed by anti-social elements who are trying to divide the country on the basis of caste. Due to the efforts of several religious and social reformers, India is on its way to become a casteless society, but some anti-social elements are trying to spread the poison of caste system in society, he added. He recalled that Swami Vivekananda stayed for 10 days in Belagavi before going to Kanniyakumari and Chicago. “I was fortunate to be in Chicago when the 100th anniversary of his Chicago address was being celebrated,” he said. Praising the charity work of the mutt, Mr. Modi said hundreds of such mutts are working against social evils, but some vested interests are trying to divide society on caste lines. “The youth are the target of such forces. But I am confident the youth will not be swayed by a handful of such evil elements,” he said.
Sri Murugha Rajendra swami, Sri Sri Ravishankar, yuva brigade leader Chakravarti Sulibele and others were present.
The mutt that has its main branches in Mugalkhod in Belagavi district and Jidga in Kalaburagi district, holds significant clout among its devotees in Mumbai Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka. It has over 360 branches in various cities and towns, including in Uttar Pradesh.
