Bengaluru, Oct 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modivisited the Lord Manjunatha temple at Dharmasthala on an emptystomach, a Karnataka BJP leader said today, taking a jibe atChief Minister Siddaramaiah, whose recent visit to the shrineafter eating fish had triggered a controversy.
BJP MLA Aravind Limbavali said Modi did not eat till hehad a 'darshan' of Lord Manjunatha Swamy (Shiva), whereas thepeople were aware of what Siddaramaiah did before entering theshrine.
Siddaramaiah was involved in a controversy a few days agofor eating fish at lunch before going to the Manjunatha Swamytemple.
It was seen as a disrespect for the main deity of thetemple, with the issue creating a buzz in the social media.
However, Siddaramaiah had dismissed the criticism andtweeted, "Having failed to govern, BJP is worried about mychoice of food before I go to a temple!"The Congress leader had also raised a question as regardswhich god had issued a fiat against consuming meat.
"Even Bedara Kannappa had offered meat to Lord Shiva," hehad said.
According to folklore, Bedara Kannappa was a hunter whoshowed his extreme devotion to Lord Shiva by plucking out bothof his eyes.
Limbavali said, "Our prime minister works for 18 hours aday. He left for the temple early in the morning and remainedon empty stomach till he had the darshan of Lord ManjunathaSwamy. That is the difference between Modi and Siddaramaiah.
You all know well what the chief minister did recently. Hewent to the temple after eating fish."The remarks of the BJP MLA came during his address to BJPworkers at the HAL airport here, before the arrival and speechof the prime minister, who is on a day-long visit toKarnataka. PTI GMS RA VSRC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.