Trustee warns expelled seer Vachanananda

Pic: Vachanananda SwamiDavanagere: HS Nagaraj, a trustee of the Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Gurupeetha, stated on Thursday that Vachanananda Swami, who was expelled from the Harihara Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Gurupeetha, must leave the monastery honourably by April 23, warning that otherwise thousands of devotees would gather to remove him.Nagaraj said Swami could not continue at the monastery against the trust's decision and that any attempts to rally devotees against the trust will not succeed. He cautioned that if the seer did not leave voluntarily, he will have to face the consequences. Nagaraj said the seer was brought to the Gurupeetha eight years ago to religiously and socially organise the dispersed community in the state, but devotees visiting the Mutt were unable to meet him, and suspicions about his conduct arose. "He should leave the Gurupeetha and pursue his interests elsewhere," he suggested.Referring to a donation made two years ago, Nagaraj said Murugesh Nirani donated Rs 2 crore for the development of the monastery, but the seer allegedly used it for his personal interests. Responding to a question, Nagaraj said, individuals involved in criminal activities should not continue in the Gurupeetha. "Devotees should not visit the monastery until these issues are resolved. Do not send students to the hostel here," said Nagaraj.