Transcend regional barriers, seer tells Kannadigas

Siddeshwara Swami of the Jnana Yogashrama in Bijapur on Tuesday stressed the need for Kannadigas to transcend regional barriers (of North Karnataka and South Karnataka) and strive for retaining an united State (Akhanda Karnataka) through mutual trust and affection.

The seer was speaking after inaugurating the annual Dasara fete (celebrated as the ‘Nada Habba’) by offering flowers to Goddess Chamundeshwari here.

In his speech, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said just 10 days ago, there was gloom all over with agitations in the Mysore region against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

 But the picture changed dramatically on October 8, when he got a call during his visit to New Delhi, saying there were heavy rains in the region. 

That was when he conveyed the State government’s decision to stop release of water to Tamil Nadu to Fali S Nariman, the State’s counsel in the Supreme Court in the Cauvery water dispute case, Shettar said.

Now, Kodagu and Wayanad in Kerala too have received copious rains, the chief minister said with a smile.

The chief minister also explained that it had become inevitable to release water to the neighbouring state, following the order of the Cauvery River Authority and the apex court. He hinted that he was still apprehensive about the outcome of the hearing in the Supreme Court on October 19.

The chief minister recalled that during his maiden visit to the abode of Goddess Chamundeshwari after becoming chief minister, he had prayed for rains and bumper crops.

Low profile

Siddeshwara Swami kept a low profile throughout the programme and was the last to take to the stage. His simple attire, a white khadi kurta and a white dhoti, impressed everyone. When members of the Dasara committee came forward to felicitate him, he politely refused.