Seer says he was 'unaware' of Linga project

The project to install the world’s tallest Shivalinga at Siddaganga Mutt here seems to have become a victim of the political turmoil in the State.

On Thursday, the pontiff of the Mutt, Shivakumara Swami, went to the extent of doing a U-turn over the project, saying there was no need for the Kotilingeshwara shrine and he was unaware of the project. The foundation stone for the statue was laid on Shivarathri day and the ceremony was attended by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda. The seer had presided over the programme. Gowda had promised budgetary allocations for the project.

At a press conference on Thursday, the seer pleaded ignorance about the project, even though he had presided over a meeting where information about the project was given to the media.

The seer said, “I was unaware that Kotilingeshwara would be installed at the Mutt premises. K S Eshwarappa invited me to the programme and I obliged,” the seer said in reply to a question.

The seer, who reacted angrily to most of the questions, said, “Don’t ask anything else.” The seer mocked at some questions and remained tight-lipped on others.

“Neither have I spoken about the installation of Kotilingeshwara nor was I aware of the project. No one discussed the issue with me,” he said.

No pressure

On the letter reportedly written to him by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, the seer said no one had written a letter to him and he was not under pressure.

A press release issued on Thursday said no meeting had taken place on Wednesday to decide on dropping the project.

It is learnt that Yeddyurappa had strongly opposed the project, as he was sidelined along with his supporters.