Davangere, October 19: All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Dr. Shamanur Shivashankarappa said that “Minister D.K. Shivakumar has apologized for dividing the Veerashaiva Lingayat community in the name of separate Lingayat religion by the previous government. But former ministers M.B. Patil and Vinay Kulkarni should not have raised voice against Shivakumar”.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Shivashankarappa said that “We are against to any efforts of dividing the society. At least now, these two leaders should stop dividing Veerashaiva Lingayat community. Adopt the ideals what Basavanna said in your life. We should not have ego based on position and wealth. M.B. Patil should rectify himself and have control over his words”, he said.

D.K. Shivakumar disclosed the truth that the Congress has seen the setback in the election due to Lingayat issue. Siddaramaiah had tried to divide the Veerashaiva Lingayat community yielding to the pressure from M.B. Patil and Vinay Kulkarni. Though the community has more than 2 crore population in the state, it was shown as 70 lakh in the caste census. Except the sub-castes, the Veerashaiva Lingayat community has more than 25 per cent of total population of the state, which means, the Veerashaiva Lingayat community was in first place followed by Vokkaliga community, he said.

Mahasabha National Vice President Athani S. Veeranna was present.

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.



New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Thursday amid protests by Opposition members over the Adani issue, violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal and other issues.

As soon as the House met for the day, Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was elected from Kerala's Wayanad in the recent bypoll, and Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan, who was elected from Maharashtra's Nanded, took oath as Lok Sabha MPs.

Immediately after the oath taking of the two new members, many Opposition members, including from the Congress, were on their feet as they sought to raise issues related to the allegations against the Adani Group and other issues.

Some members from the Congress and Samajwadi Party were in the Well while other Opposition members stood in the aisle and shouted slogans.

Speaker Om Birla asked the Opposition members to allow the Question Hour and said they can take up their issues later.

"I have been giving you enough opportunities to raise your issues and will continue to do so in future. But your way of systematic blockade of the proceedings is not acceptable. The issue which you want to raise has nothing to do with the country," he told the protesting members.

Birla said people have chosen the MPs as their representatives to raise the genuine issue of the people but they were resorting to disrupt the proceedings of the House which is not good.

He said there were difference of opinions in the Constituent Assembly too but those were raised in dignified manners.

Amid the din, one question was taken up.

As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the House will 12 noon.

The Opposition members wanted to discuss the Adani controversy and the recent violence in Sambhal.

The Adani Group said on Wednesday that Gautam Adani, and his nephew Sagar have not been charged with any violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment that authorities filed in the New York court in an alleged bribery case.