CM accused of misusing platform

Shocker for organisers

Basavana Gouda Patil Yathnal, state general secretary of Jantha Dal (secular) and former union minister has criticised Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa accusing him of misusing the platform of Veerashaiva Maha Adhiveshana to protect his chair and seek support of Lingayats.

Addressing a press conference at the press club on Monday, he said there were more than 2500 small and bigger Veerashaiva mutts in state and not all supported his deeds.

“The CM may gain support of few seers pleasing them by helicopter tour. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his son Raghavendra and other cabinet colleagues have received the preferential treatment. It casts a doubt whether the Veerashaiva Mahasabha has been hijacked by BJP leaders,” he said.

Parallel forum

He reminded the Chief Minister that a government or a party cannot be run from the support of a single community.

If the Veerashaiva conference calls for supporting Yeddyurappa, we will be forced to think of a parallel forum and holding a separate rally against CM, he said.

He said the conference adopted a biased attitude against Veerashaiva leaders from JD(S) and Congress. There are only six JD(S) leaders, 11 Congress leaders invited as against about 30 BJP leaders attending the meet,” Yathnal said and questioned the Mahasabha for failing to support Chief Minister’s like Nijalingappa, Veerendra Patil and J H Patel during their crisis period.

He said the cut outs and posters of Yeddyurappa, his son Raghavendra have lined up all across the road leading to Suttur. It appear to be a BJP convention, he added.
Asked about the family politics in JD (S), he replied saying the family politics made inroads everywhere. In BJP, there are Yeddyurappa and Raghavendra. The Congress party is led by a mother and son. The family politics has also made a entry into communist (left) parties, he said.

In Suttur

Earlier, speaking at a session at the Veerashaiva Maha Adhiveshana at Suttur, he said Lingayat community was not an asset of a political party or an individual. The community should not rescue a corrupt chief minister. There is a feeling that the convention was being held to send a message to the BJP high command against removing Yeddyurappa from CM’s post.

Displeasure

As he concluded his speech, a participant stood up and expressed his displeasure saying, “You made the conference political.”

Another person retorted, “Where were you when Veerendra Patil was harassed in Congress?”

President Veerashaiva Mahasabha Bheemanna Khandre, vice-president Chandrakanth Bellad, S S Patil, M B Patil, MLC Veeranna Mathikatti, Koppal MP S Shivaramana Gouda were present.