Prominent Lingayat seer announces decision to contest against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
Bengaluru (PTI): Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Math, a prominent Veerashaiva Lingayat seer, on Monday said he has decided to contest as an independent candidate from Dharwad segment in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Repeatedly targeting BJP's candidate from the segment and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, he accused him of "suppressing" Veerashaiva-Lingayat and other communities, and also misusing of the Lingayat maths and causing disrespect to them to stay in power.
"I'm announcing my candidature as an independent candidate from the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency. As you are aware the national parties have announced their candidates and people in the Dharwad constituency and nearby segments feel that both parties have entered into election fixing like match fixing," Dingaleshwar Swami alleged.
Responding to the Swami's decision, Joshi said: "There is no reaction to Dingaleshwar Swami...Whatever he says it is blessings for me."
The seer also accused Congress of neglecting Lingayats after coming to power, and not giving suitable positions to leaders of calibre from the community.
Speaking to reporters here, he accused both national parties of having betrayed the people of the Dharwad constituency.
"While the two parties have fielded their candidates, voters of Dharwad have decided to field me as their candidate. This is a 'Dharma Yuddha' declared by those who value their dignity and 'Kaavidhaaris', against two national parties and selfish politicians," the swami said, adding, he is entering politics to create political awareness among people.
"There should be no politics in 'Dharma' and there should be 'Dharma' in politics -- is the desire of the people, and I will continue this even after the polls," he said, adding that his "Dharma Yuddha" will continue till the end of his life in favour of oppressed communities and their leaders.
A few seers in the Dharwad region, especially those from Lingayat community, met in Hubballi on March 27 under the leadership of Dingaleshwar Swami and asked BJP central leadership to change the party's Dharwad Lok Sabha candidate Prahlad Joshi. They had given the party time till March 31 to decide.
At that meeting it was decided that "like in the north", Swamijis in the south too should work in the political field and contest elections.
Lingayats are said to be the majority among voters in the Dharwad segment, while Joshi, a four-time MP, is a Brahmin.
Targeting Joshi, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, the seer alleged on Monday: "in oppressing leaders from other communities, Joshi is a hero, but when it comes to development, he is zero, and this is among the reasons for me to contest the election."
He asked as to what Joshi has done during his 20 years tenure as MP, to the constituency and the state.
Joshi on his part has been maintaining that he will consider the seer's comments as a blessing and will try to clarify the misunderstandings, if any, in the days ahead, while veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, a Lingayat stalwart, has categorically said there is no question of replacing Joshi.
To a question about his well wishers and supporters targeting the seer, Joshi said: "I have no comments, social media is an open platform and people there comment in our favour, also against us. I'm a party candidate, I will not comment on such things."
Karnataka goes to Lok Sabha polls in two phases and voting will be held for Dharwad in the second phase on May 7.
Claiming that BJP did not give tickets to various communities like Kuruba, Reddy, Ambigas and Lambanis, the Swami pointed out that veteran BJP leader K S Eshwarappa's son K E Kantesh too was denied ticket from Haveri, and he was "betrayed". "I had warned Eshwarappa not to trust Joshi."
He alleged that BJP denied opportunity to leaders from several big communities to contest, but has given three tickets to those from the community that has very less population (Brahmins -- Pralhad Joshi, Tejasvi Surya -Bangalore South, and Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri-Uttara Kannada), and asked: "where is social justice?"
However, claiming that he was not anti-Brahmin, he also said that several people from Joshi's community have contacted him, extending their support.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala politicians stand by actor Mammootty facing online harassment, call him state's pride
Thiruvananthapuram, May 16: Politicians from the Left and the Congress party in Kerala have rallied behind Malayalam superstar Mammootty who is facing online harassment from certain right wing sympathisers in connection with one of his movies that had been released two years ago.
The controversy erupted after posts on on social media platforms claimed that the movie 'Puzhu' released in 2022 was an anti-Brahmanical one.
Some of them even used Mammootty's birth name, Muhammed Kutty, to criticise the national award-winning actor in connection with the film, which was a psychological drama directed by debutant filmmaker Ratheena P T.
The row erupted following a recent interview given by the woman director's husband to an online channel in which he claimed that the movie was against a particular community and criticised Mammootty over doing the film.
Rubbishing the social media campaign against the legendary actor, several persons including state Ministers V Sivankutty and K Rajan and AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal came out in support of Mammootty.
Senior CPI (M) leader and General Education Minister V Sivankutty put up a Facebook post sharing a photo of of him with the actor, who has won three national awards, among many other recognitions.
"Mammootty is Malayalees' pride," the minister said in the FB post.
CPI leader and Revenue Minister K Rajan also described Mammootty as the "Pride of Kerala and Malayalees".
The minister alleged that "Sangh Parivar politics" was behind such campaigns and said that such propaganda would not reap its desired results in the state.
"This is Kerala," he pointed out to those behind the campaign. Recalling a similar campaign unleashed against eminent director Kamal some time ago, the minister said the "the Sanghi politics of calling Mammootty as Mohammed Kutty, Kamal as Kamaluddin and Vijay as Joseph Vijay (top Tamil film star who has a large fan following in Kerala) will not reap any result here."
Sharing similar views, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal also strongly supported Mammootty and said the secular society of the state would not support such propaganda.
He said no matter how hard they try to brand a person who has clear political views and acting skills, the people of the state won't support them.
In an FB post, the Congress leader further said that it is the duty of Kerala society to take care of the actor without being affected by the "poison of hate campaigns".
A person like Mammootty cannot be confined to the compartments of religion and caste, he said, adding that vested interests are doing so with a clear political agenda.
"Mammootty is being Mohammed Kutty only in the contemptuous minds of those hate campaigners," the leader added.
The actor is yet to react to the controversy.
