"Electoral politics must not and can never be equated with war or espousal of violence involving threats of cutting off hands or heads of Hindutva or anti-Hindutva proponents,’’ he said responding to questions from reporters at a meet-the-press programme organized by the Bangalore Reporters’ Guild and Bangalore Press Club.
Declining to directly name BJP’s candidates for Pilibhit lok sabha constituency Varun Gandhi or Ananth Kumar Hegde of Uttara Kannada or BJP MLA Renukacharaya and Congress leader Kagodu Thimmappa, who have been accused of making hate speeches and holding out public threats of chopping hands or heads of anti-Hindutva or pro-Hindutva elements, the Swamiji said the primary task of all right-thinking and civilized people was to root out poverty and its causes as also other evils like inequality, injustice, illiteracy, superstition and exploitation of people based on their caste, religion or sex.
The Swamiji, who is heading an important Mutt belonging to the politically powerful Veerashaiva or Lingayat community in Chitradurga with considerable following, felt all citizens must strive and concentrate on nation building if democracy had to survive in the country. Social transformation, progress and development with social justice and equal opportunities were essential for building a healthy society, he said.
Answering questions, the Swamiji felt religion and politics should not be mixed and religious leaders should not play any role in politics. ``Religion encompasses people of different political persuasion. Those wearing saffron (Khaavi) and cannot embrace the garb of Khadi to don the role of politicians,’’ he said pointing out that there was enough scope for religious leaders to work for social transformation and reforms in their chosen field.
``It is not correct to contend that religious leaders should enter politics to do good,’’ he said.
Asked if the same logic applied to the Siddaganga Mutt’s junior Swamiji Gowrishankar, who has filed his nomination as an independent for the Tumkur lok sabha constituency, the Swamiji said: ``I have not had the opportunity to discuss with Swami Gowrishankar. I may get an opportunity to talk to him soon,’’ he said pointing out that the reporters would get to ask the Swamiji himself when he participates in a meet-the-press programme this week.
He also felt it was not correct to use any community as vote-banks of any political party or for Swamijis to dabble in politics in influencing the selection of candidates or directing the followers to vote for a particular candidate or party. ``I don’t think the writ of the Swamijis carries that much weight these days because people may not blindly accept any dictates,’’he added.
The Chitradurga Brahanmath under the spiritual leadership of Dr Murugharajendra Sharana Swamiji has been in the forefront of fostering communal harmony and empowerment of women besides setting up International Basava Centre and Basaveshwara Grama Vikas Vedike. During the last nine years of his tenure as Pontiff, the Mutt has been organizing mass marriages on the 5th of every month and has so far united over 20,000 couples in marriage. It has also been conferring Basavashri awards carrying a purse of Rs 1 lakh to eminent personalities, including Dalai Lama and Medha Patkar.
