‘Hounded’ says seer who made ‘cut’ charge

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Shirahatti seer who had dropped a political bomb claiming that mutts were paying 30 per cent commission to obtain government grants, has now complained of being hounded by cops.

Last week, Sri Dingaleshwara Swamiji of Sri Fakireshwara Mutt in Shirahatti in Gadag, had alleged that officials demand commission to release grants meant for the development of educational institutions. This had created ripples in political circles with the opposition Congress party launching a frontal attack on the ruling BJP for demanding commission even from mutts.

Close on the heels of this disclosure, the seers of other Dalit and backward classes mutts rushed to the rescue of the government and claimed that officials had never demanded commission from them. Since then, Sri Dingaleshwara Swamiji had been cornered by the other seers and ruling party leaders who have distanced themselves from the controversial seer. Some have even tried to pinpoint the ‘wrongdoings’ of the seer in the past.

Sri Dingaleshwara Swamiji now claims that the ruling party had instructed the home department to create problems for him, his devotees and the mutt by deploying policemen in plain clothes.

The cops are following him wherever he goes and are keeping a watch on him. Besides, devotees are being hounded by the cops unnecessarily which would be brought to the notice of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, he added.

Hours after the seer’s explosive remarks, the CM had said, “Sri Dingaleshwara Swamiji is a revered and respected seer in society.

The government has taken his statement with all seriousness and is ready to order a probe if the pontiff is kind enough to provide details of the officers who visited the mutt and demanded 30 per cent ‘cut’ to release grants.’’

Since then the pontiff has become silent and is not ready to say anything on the commission row.