Temple authorities mull over ‘purification ritual’ after Siddaramaiah’s visit
After reports of the former chief minister consuming meat emerged, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and right-wing groups accused the Congress leader of being “anti-Hindu”.
Days after Leader of Opposition, Siddaramaiah, was accused of visiting a temple after consuming meat, in Karnataka’s Kodagu, the controversy surrounding the issue refuses to die down.
The Basaveshwara temple committee in Kodlipet, near the border of Kodagu district, about 225km from Bengaluru, has now decided to hold a “purification ritual” on its premises.
“There are allegations that Siddaramaiah had entered the temple after consuming non-vegetarian food. Hence the temple committee has decided to clean the temple and also offer a special puja,”SS Varaprasad, the president of the Kodlipet Basaveshwara temple committee said.
“They (BJP leaders) have taken Kodagu back by 25 years and have failed. The people here know the situation. They (BJP leaders) keep telling the world that we will convert Kodagu into Switzerland but they should also say what they have done. In order to hide their own shortcomings, this is an attempt to bring such emotional issues forward and keep it (the issues) alive,” a spokesperson for the Congress who had accompanied Siddaramaiah during the visit said. “The people will teach them a lesson in the coming days,” M Lakshman said.
After reports of the former chief minister consuming meat emerged, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and right-wing groups accused the Congress leader of being “anti-Hindu”.
Siddaramaiah had visited Kodagu on August 18 to meet the people who were affected by the heavy rains in the region.
Siddaramaiah’s convoy was attacked in connection with the row over Vinayak Damodar Savarkar banners in Kodagu. The protesters had egged his car and several people, holding pictures of Savarkar and black flags, had protested against the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka assembly.
Siddaramaiah had blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for creating communal tension in the district headquarters town of Shivamogga on August 15. He had previously raised questions on attempts to install Savarkar’s photo in a Muslim-dominated area.
“They tried to put Savarkar’s photo in a Muslim area. Let them put up whatever photo, no problem. But, why do that in a Muslim area? And, why did they say ‘no’ to Tipu Sultan’s photo?” he had said.
Following the remarks, activists of the Hindu organisations had started protests against Siddaramaiah.
“Siddaramaiah is doing all this to woo Muslims.The policy of the Congress is to divide and rule. Earlier, he introduced Tipu Sultan Jayanti and sparked a fight between both communities. Two innocents were killed during Tipu Jayanti in Madikeri. No one should hurt religious sentiments of any community for selfish motives and vote bank politics,” Apachu Ranjan, the BJP MLA from Madikeri in Kodagu said.
Before visiting the temple, Siddaramaiah visited the residence of former Congress MLC Veena Achaiah who had hosted a lunch for him and those who accompanied the leader. A photo of the lunch was widely circulated on social media in which it appears that there was non-vegetarian food served.
The MLC and Siddaramaiah both denied that the latter consumed meat on that day as he was due to visit the temple.
“According to me it is not at all an issue. Many go (to temples) without eating meat and many go after eating. At many places meat is offered to deities. To tell you the truth I had not eaten meat that day. I said what I have subsequently for the sake of argument. Though there was chicken curry, I ate only bamboo shoot curry and ‘akki rotti’ (rice roti),” Siddaramaiah was reported as saying by PTI .
“Though non-vegetarian food was prepared, Siddaramaiah did not have it and BJP is trying to create a false narrative to defame him and gain political mileage,” M Lakshman said.
During his temple visit, Siddaramaiah was accompanied by former advocate general HS Chandra Mouli and other leaders.
Temple priest Mrutyanjaya said that Siddaramaiah visited the premises along with local leaders but did not enter the main area of the temple.“We offered arati to him and the visit lasted for just five minutes,” he said.
“The temple has a 300-year-old history and devotees do not come here after consuming meat. We clean the premises before any festival. Painting and other works are being conducted before Ganesh Chaturthi,” B Yatish Kumar, vice-president of the committee said.