Mate Gangadevi defends sale, use of Basava Vachana Deepthi

mysore: the controversy surrounding the book basava vachana deepthi and it's alleged sale here by the followers of the author took a new turn with mate gangadevi, the close lieutenant of mate mahadevi claiming that there is no ban on the sale of the book and it's use in part or whole by anybody in the discourses. talking to reporters here, she said the state government has neither banned the sale of this controversial book nor has it barred her from quoting the book in her discourses.mate gangadevi is the head of akkamahadevi ashram, dharwad and heir appointee of the vishwa kalyan mission headed by mate mahadevi the author of the book which has been reportedly banned by the state government. it may be recalled here that her alleged sale of the book here in mysore and her extensive quoting from it in her discourses has evoked sharp reactions from the lingayat community in the district and director of the newly formed centre for progressive philosophies research and studies b.s. shanmukhappa has filed a police complaint against the lady demanding her arrest for blatantly violating the government order. recollecting the government order, gangadevi said a case is pending before the high court questioning the government's ban order and the court has ruled that "the parties should maintain status quo". "this being the position of the case in the high court, how could anyone say that the government's ban exists", she asked adding that there is nothing wrong if anybody discusses or quotes the writings from the book. describing the uproar against the book and her discourses being held here at the town hall grounds as "unwarranted" she said some vested elements intolerant of vishwa kalyan mission's growth are creating problems before them. "as such there is no opposition to the book from the general public", she claimed and added even in davangere only three people created problem and forced her to wind up her discourses. in fact, it was shanmukhappa who has written a poem using vulgar language against mate mahadevi and this is not the way of treating the people she said adding that mate mahadevi and herself were ready for a healthy discussion on the controversy. defending the replacement of "ankitha nama" (proper name) koodalasangamadeva in basava's vachanas with lingadeva by her guru mate mahadevi, gangadevi said everybody has a right to think in their own way and any change should not be construed as an insult to basaveshwara ."we are ready for a healthy discussion on the issue and people who are opposed to it, instead of confrontation should agree for a debate and discussion", she suggested. she also denied that there was any attempt by her followers to assault shanmukhappa who was staging a silent protest against her while she was addressing the devotees at the town hall grounds on last thursday. however, shanmukhappa said the high court had ordered the petitioners and respondents to maintain status quo on the vachanas and it does not mean that the government has withdrawn the ban. "in fact, the government's in july 1998 has re-issued the gazette notification banning the book", he disclosed.