Dingaleshwar Swami, the head of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt and the coordinator for the upcoming Veerashaiva Lingayat Ekta Samavesha in Hubballi, announced on Monday that this significant gathering is unequivocally non-political. He stressed that its purpose is to bring together community members and leaders from across the political spectrum, including various parties, to foster unity.
During a press conference held in Hubballi on Tuesday, Dingaleshwar Swami further elaborated that the convention is a collective effort, organized by a diverse group of spiritual leaders. While his role primarily involves orchestrating the event, the Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha is diligently managing the invitations to ensure broad participation from various seers.
Responding to a question regarding BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai’s remarks and claims that the state government might be attempting to create divisions within the community, Dingaleshwar Swami firmly stated that leaders from major parties like Congress, BJP, and Janata Dal (Secular) are all expected to attend. This broad political representation, he highlighted, will be joined by influential community figures from other South Indian states.
He added that the event anticipates the presence of approximately 1,000 spiritual leaders.
The seer reiterated that the convention, scheduled for September 19, is not intended as a display of power but rather a genuine effort to unite the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
He stated, “All individuals who recognize Veerashaiva and Lingayat as synonymous will be participating. Spiritual leaders from both Guru and Virakta traditions are expected to join this unifying event.”
Addressing national general secretary Shivanand Jamdar’s comment about Lingayats potentially uniting with Veerashaivas if Panchacharya seers embraced Basavanna and Basava Tatva, the Swami expressed his view that such a condition would be akin to sacrificing community harmony driven by resentment against the Panchacharyas.
Regarding his visit to Panchamasali Peetha in Harihar and the subsequent remarks from Vachananand Swami, he confirmed attending the event by invitation, believing the mutt to be an integral part of the community. However, he vehemently denied allegations that his visit was aimed at securing a Congress ticket for the Lok Sabha elections, challenging Vachananand Swami to clarify whether political tickets are indeed distributed at the mutt.