Siddarama Swamiji terms allegations of Kaneri mutt seer ‘uncivilised’ and ‘misleading’

Belagavi: The controversy over the allegations of Kadasiddeshwar Swamiji of Kaneri mutt, Maharashtra, against the seers endorsing separate religion status for Lingayats escalated with a strong response by Thontada Siddarama Swamiji of the Dambal-Gadag Thontadarya mutt.Responding to the personal allegations made against him by the Kaneri mutt seer recently in Bagalkot district, Siddarama Swamiji expressed anguish and termed them baseless and misleading. Kaneri mutt seer allegedly accused him of translating the Quran into Kannada and distributing it, and of disrespecting the Bhagavad Gita.Refuting these claims, Siddarama Swamiji clarified that he only translated a Hindi work titled ‘Islam Dharm Sandesh' scripted by noted spiritual leader Vinoba Bhave. "It was neither the Quran nor a Marathi text, and it was not published by our mutt as alleged by Kaneri seer," he stated. He further stated that the book was released in the presence of the late Siddeshwara Swamiji of Vijayapura and that the Kaneri seer was also invited to the event.Dismissing the allegations as repeated attempts to malign his image, Siddarama Swamiji challenged his critics to produce evidence. "If there is any proof that I have disrespected the Bhagavad Gita, let it be presented. Such claims are aimed at character assassination and spreading disharmony," he said, adding that this was the third instance of such accusations by Kaneri mutt seer.Reiterating his commitment to interfaith harmony, Siddarama Swamiji asserted that he has never insulted any religion, deity, or sacred text. He highlighted his scholarly contributions, including translating sections on the Bhagavad Gita and editing discourses of revered seers, as evidence of his reverence for Hindu scriptures.He also questioned the intent behind repeated false allegations and criticised the use of uncivilised language against Lingayat seers by Kaneri seer. According to him, such statements risk creating confusion and unrest in society.Siddarama Swamiji further claimed that courts, including the high court and the supreme court, had previously reprimanded the Kaneri seer over similar issues. "It's disappointing that, despite that, he continues to make such statements," he said.According to Siddarama Swamiji, a clarification has been issued at the insistence of devotees to prevent misinformation and ensure that the public is not misled by what he described as false narratives.