HUBBALLI: A rally that was supposed to put pressure on the State and Union Governments to accord a separate religion status to Lingayats became a stage for abusing Veerashaiva community on Sunday.
Basavajaya Mrityunjaya Swami of the Koodalasanagama Panchamasali Mahapeetha, who openly used insulting words against the Veerashaiva community, said that they were creating problems and not allowing the Lingayat demand to be accepted.
“Lingayats are not Hindus, it is a separate religion and some vested interests are trying to project Lingayats as part of the Hindu religion which is not true,” he said.
Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Basavaraj Horatti who was present at the function also criticised Dingaleshwar Swami of the Balehosur mutt who had recently said that Lingayats and Veerashaivas were the same.
“We know who he is. He used to do finance business while being a seer and even tried to become the pontiff of the Moorusavir mutt by illicit ways,” Horatti alleged.
Other seers at the function openly attacked the five pontiffs of the Veerashaiva peethas terming them ‘Pancha Peedakaru’ (five harassers).