Letter to Shamanur not a notice: Parameshwara

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara on Tuesday defended his letter to senior party leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa on the grounds that it was just a letter and not a notice.

A day after legislator K C Kondaiah made the contents of the letter dated September 7 public, Parameshwara addressed reporters at Congress Bhavan, along party leaders Siddaramaiah and S R Patil.

Parameshwara said his letter to the party treasurer, Shivashankarappa, was just a reminder of his absence at important meetings. While downplaying the controversy regarding the letter, he said there was no “revenge politics” being played out by him or Shivashankarappa.

The Lingayat strongman had absented himself from 12 out of 14 meetings and Parameshwara wanted to request him to attend future meetings. He said he had written similar letters to 22 other office-bearers.

“Efforts are being made to give this matter a caste colour, which is unfortunate,” he added.

“I never intended to hurt Shivashankarappa – in fact he’s like my elder brother. I have been addressing him as Shankranna for the last 30 years. If at all my letter has hurt him, I regret. I will not have any issues if he were to be made the State party president,” he said.

When asked about the tone and tenor of the letter and the severity of the message, Parameshwara blamed the English language for it.

“It’s straightforward and I meant no disrespect to him. The letter is in English and English words can be misinterpreted,” he said.

He declined to comment on the demand by the party’s Lingayat leaders for a change in leadership. Parameshwara said, “As president of the party, I cannot comment on the demands that are being made for my removal. It’s a decision to be made by the high command,” he said.

Special session

He demanded that the State government immediately convene a special session of the legislature to discuss the Cauvery water issue.

“Karnataka has to take an unequivocal stand and a unanimous decision has to be pronounced on the matter.”

The party would pass a resolution on the Cauvery issue during the general body meeting on Wednesday.