GADAG
Jagadguru Sri 1008 Vimala Renuka Veeragangadhara Swamiji of Muktimandir Mahakshetra in Lakshmeshwar offered a cryptic response to questions about Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s political future.
Speaking to reporters, the seer said political positions are never permanent and that everything would remain well as long as God’s blessings continued.
The Swamiji recalled Shivakumar’s earlier visit to the mutt, saying he had received a Rudraksha and an idol associated with his grandfather. According to the seer, Shivakumar still remembers his grandfather and applies sacred ash from the monastery. Asked directly whether Shivakumar would firmly occupy the Chief Minister’s chair, the Swamiji declined to give a clear answer.
He instead referred to a historical episode involving former Chief Minister Devaraja Urs in 1971. The Swamiji said the mutt’s former head had given Urs a gold Rudraksha, sacred ash and a Renuka idol. He also placed a garland around Urs’s neck and advised him not to remove it, linking the garland with his position and status.
The seer said Urs later removed the garland and suggested that subsequent events became part of political history. His remarks have drawn attention because they came amid continuing discussions about leadership changes in Karnataka.
The Swamiji also highlighted Muktimandir’s message of religious harmony. Responding to a question about remarks that Islam is the best religion, he said people may follow different faiths but stressed that humanity is one. He pointed to a statue of Prophet Muhammad at the mutt, saying his predecessor had installed it as a symbol of harmony among religions. His comments on politics, history and faith have now sparked fresh discussion in the state.