Karnataka HC dismisses plea to stop Puthige Mutt seer from performing pooja at Udupi temple
Bengaluru: A division bench of the High Court of Karnataka has dismissed a petition seeking to prevent the pontiff of Puthige Mutt, Sugunendra Theertharu, from performing pooja at the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple.
The petition claimed that the pontiff had travelled to the USA in 1997 and since the crossing of oceans was forbidden for pontiffs of the Ashta Mutts (eight mutts), he should be restrained from touching the idol of Lord Krishna and be disqualified from performing the religious rituals there.
Dismissing the petition and refusing to entertain the issue, the HC said that it found nothing wrong in travelling abroad in a spiritual quest and referred to the examples of Emperor Ashoka sending his children to Sri Lanka to propagate Buddhism and Shankaracharya travelling across India popularising his philosophy.
Citing the poem, 'O Nanna Chetana', by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu, the HC said that the quest for spirituality was done by travelling. Stating that it has no role in the issue of the Swamiji travelling abroad, the HC dismissed the petition.
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As per the 'Paryaya' (rotation), the Puthige Mutt pontiff is scheduled to take over the worship of the Krishna Temple on January 18, 2024. The petition also claimed that Sugunendra Teertharu was not appointed by the Dhawandwa Mutt as per tradition.
"In the event the 4th Respondent (Sugunendra Teertharu) touches and worships Lord Krishna, it would affect the sentiments of the people at large who follow Madhwa at large, and the old tradition will be broken. In order to maintain sanctity and purity of the idol, the fourth respondent is ineligible to perform pooja for twin reasons namely, he has crossed the ocean and he is not appointed as Peethadhipati by Dhawandwa Mutt," the petition claimed.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
