VIJAYAWADA: Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy asserted that as a sanyasi he has no bank account in his name and he maintains distance from politics. Speaking to media persons in Seethanagaram on Friday, the pontiff said, “We act as an eye to alert or caution if something goes wrong. Never have we said that we will join politics. If anyone asks for advice or help we will offer our help...”
On the issue of his comments on grama devatas (village deities) twenty years ago, he said the village deities are those women, who are revered as goddesses for their pious qualities. “They were given the status of goddess for god-like qualities they have. They are not the ones who descended from heaven, but emerged from people. At that time I had questioned whether it was good to resort to antisocial activities taking the name of grama devata. Was it wrong? Those who are raising these issues only use a part of what I had said.”
Chinna Jeeyar maintained that the pontiffs never spoke ill of women as they come from a tradition where priority is given to women and tribes. He also spoke of Tirruppan who attained the blessings of God. “Ramanujacharya never discriminated against anyone for their gender and caste. We follow in his footsteps,” he said.