BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday recalled apologising to community seers when attempts were made to create a divide between Veerashaivas and Lingayats, stressing that religion should unite society rather than divide it.
“We work like a needle that stitches things together, not like scissors that cut them apart. Our religion is about uniting society, not dividing it. There is strength in unity,” he said while addressing a delegation of seers from more than 25 mutts in North Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka, led by Fakireswara Math seer Dingaleshwara Swami of Shirahatti in Gadag district, at his home office Krishna.
Shivakumar said the contributions of seers and mutts through Akshara, Anna and Dharma Dasoha (education, food and religious service) were commendable. “The government can do many things, but the work of gurus and mutts is praiseworthy. One cannot take even a step forward without a guru,” he said.
He also referred to taking his oath of office in the name of Veera Gangadhara Ajjaiah, a gesture that, he said, had surprised leaders across the country.
Referring to the treatment of the late Siddaganga seer in a Chennai hospital, Shivakumar said Muslim doctors had performed the surgery.
Meanwhile, the chief minister accused some people of spreading false information that the seer of Koppal’s Gavimath had declined to inaugurate this year’s Mysuru Dasara festivities. Praising the mutt’s work and the seer’s stature, Shivakumar said the latter had the acceptance of people across Karnataka.
“Some people tried to politicise this issue too and spread false news that the seer had not agreed to inaugurate Dasara,” he said. Stating that his goal was to win people’s hearts through his work, Shivakumar thanked the seers for their blessings and said they extended not only to him but also to the entire government.