The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha has threatened of severe consequences if the state government does not ban the controversial book `Anu Deva Horaganavanu’ written by Banjagere Jayaprakash allegedly containing denigratory and objectionable stuff on the caste origin of the 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara.
The Mahasabha has served a week long ultimatum to the government to ban the book, failing which the State would face consequences.
``The book is highly scurrilous and defamatory. In the guise of freedom of expression limits of decency have been crossed. It will hurt the religious and communal sentiments and disturb peace in the State. It may even lead to bloodshed for which the government will be solely held responsible’’ warned Maha sabha President and former minister Bhimanna Khandre. He was accompanied by Maha sabha Senior Vice-President and former minister Vishvanath Reddy Mudnal and district unit president Basava Reddy Itagi at the press conference here recently.
Expressing his strong resentment over the book Khandre said the Mahasabha has viewed it very seriously and has decided not to allow the denigration of Basavanna and Veerashaiva Community. He criticised the home minister M P Prakash for taking a lenient view on the book and accused him of fomenting communal rift in the society by not banning the book.
Khandre pointed out how in the past a book `Maha Chaitra’, a play by H S Shivaprakash was withdrawn from the curriculum and  another book `Dharmakarana’ by P V Narayana was banned by the previous Congress government as they had created widespread resentment and disturbances in the society. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court in a recent judgement has upheld the banning of `Dharmakarana’.
The Mahasabha leaders have recently met Home Minister Prakash to prevail upon him on the need to ban the book. Khandre said although Prakash did not subscribe to the view of the writer of the latest controversial book, he was opposed to banning the book in the interest of safeguarding the freedom of expression of an individual.
``It is unbecoming of a home minister to support the unfettered freedom of expression at the cost of the sentiments of a community. He is the guardian of law and order in the State. He will be responsible for any consequences in future’’ Khandre warned.
Meeting on 17: The executive committee of the Veerashaiva Mahasabha has decided to meet on June 17 at Bangalore to chalk out the future course of action in the event of the State failing to ban the book by then. Meanwhile, it is also planning to meet the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on June 15 or 16 to appraise him of the sentiments hurt because of the writings of Banjagare Jayaprakash and urge to ban the book.