UDUPI: The absence of former sports minister Pramod Madhwaraj when Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the gold-coated ‘Kanakana Kindi’ at the Sri Krishna Mutt on November 28 has sparked debates in public circles and on social media.
Kanakana Kindi is the window through which saint-poet Kanakadasa is believed to have had the ‘darshan’ of Lord Krishna in the 16th century.
Madhwaraj had undertaken the gold-coating of the window and the renovation of the adjacent Kanakadasa Gudi to fulfil the wish of Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji of Paryaya Sri Puthige Mutt. On November 26, Madhwaraj visited the Mutt to inspect the work.
After the PM left for Goa, Madhwaraj took to social media, calling it a “miracle” that the Prime Minister himself has garlanded the statue of Kanakadasa at the Kanakadasa Gudi, which was originally built by his father Malpe Madhwaraj in 1965 and inaugurated by the then Chief Minister S Nijalingappa. He also described it as a memorable moment.
Journalist Rajaram Tallur expressed surprise that a leader with a social media team was not present on the occasion. Social activist Dr PV Bhandary termed his exclusion from the event a “big mistake”.
Sri Rama Sene Mangaluru divisional president Jayaram Ambekallu said contributions to hospitals would have benefited the poor more than religious donations, but said Madhwaraj should have been invited, he said.
Madhwaraj told TNIE that he undertook both the gold-coating project and the repair of the Kanakadasa Gudi according to the seer’s wishes. He said he did not feel bad for not being invited to the unveiling ceremony, but he would have felt happy if he was.
On speculation that he was sidelined by the BJP during the PM’s programme, Madhwaraj said he had never asked the party to include him in the event. His only communication, he said, was with the Mutt authorities.