Mysuru: After Pejawar Seer Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji’s statement that Lingayat community should remain in the fold of Hindu religion as they are not different from each other, Nidumamidi Mutt Seer Sri Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji has said that all Shiva bhakts are not Hindus. He begged to differ from what Pejawar Seer and some other pontiffs had stated recently.

Speaking at “Bali Chakravarthi Smaranotsava” programme organised by ‘Bharatha Moola Nivasigala Samskruthi, Sahitya, Adhyayana Mathu Samshodhana Samsthe’ at Town Hall on Friday, he said that a few pontiffs, including Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji, have been claiming that those who worship Shiva are Hindus.

It may be recalled here that the Pejawar Seer had said in Udupi that the Dvaita and Advaita schools had fundamental philosophical differences but were branches of the same Vedic religion.

The two traditions of Lingayat and Veerashaiva could never be separate. The Seer said that when people of both these traditions were worshipping Shiva as their chief deity, doing Shiva Panchakshari Japa and offering prayers to the Shiva Linga, how they could be different or separate from the Hindu religion.

Countering the Pejawar Seer, Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji of Manava Dharma Peetha, Bengaluru, said that the original inhabitants (Moola Nivasigalu) have been subjected to oppression by people who follow Vedic tradition. “Devotees who worshipped Shiva were their targets first. There are as many as 18 different communities who follow Shiva’s tradition in India and these communities oppose the Vedic system. It is high time all communities in the country strengthen their existence.

Religious heads and political leaders of communities must understand that a few politicians are trying to impose a single religion system in India which has multi-culture, religion, and languages. It is a threat to the democratic set-up of our nation, he opined.

Urilingipeddi Mutt Seer Sri Jnanaprakash Swamiji presided over the programme. Former Mayor Purushotham, senior advocate of High Court H.S. Mohan Kumar, Maharaja’s College Professor Dr. V. Shanmugham, Prof. B.P. Mahesh Chandra Guru of Journalism Department at Manasagangothri and others were present.

Earlier, a colourful processsion with the portrait of Bali Chakravarthi  was taken out from Kote Maramma Temple premises to the Town Hall. Artistes dressed up as Buddha, Bali Chakravarthi, Mahisha, Ravana and Shahu Maharaj drew the attention of passers-by along the procession route.