Bengaluru, Feb 27 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday reaffirmed his faith in Hinduism, a day after he said, “I’m a born Hindu and will die Hindu”.
He also expressed support for Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation, thanking him for the invitation to the Mahashivaratri celebrations in Tamil Nadu.
Shivakumar’s assertion came amidst a section of Congress leaders including All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary P V Mohan, voicing concerns over his presence at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore.
Sharing a screenshot of Shivakumar’s post on ‘X’ about his Coimbatore visit, Mohan wrote, “Thanking for an invitation from someone who mocks RG (Rahul Gandhi), the hope of the nation&aligns with RSS’s narratives, while serving as a president of a secular party, it misleads party workers. It is conviction rather than compromise (that) ensures the party’s growth. Otherwise, it damages the core.” Addressing reporters here today, Shivakuamr said, “I am not going to reply to the High Command and big leaders. See, I had gone for Shivaratri celebrations. It’s Shiva’s night. I have faith in it. I am not going to answer to someone’s tweets.” Shivakumar had on Wednesday said, “I am a Hindu. I am a born Hindu and I will die as a Hindu but I love and respect all the religions.” Responding to a query about his Coimbatore visit during a press conference on Wednesday, the deputy CM said: “Our Congress president’s name is Mallikarjun Kharge. Who is Mallikarjuna? It’s Shiva only. Should he change his name?” However, Shivakumar on Thursday said he neither wanted the BJP or the Congress to welcome it, nor was there any need for it to speak about him.
Regarding the controversy over his visit to Isha Foundation during Mahashivaratri, he said, “Let thousands of people oppose it, I have belief in my faith.” According to him, Sadhguru is fighting to save Cauvery with a campaign called ‘Save Soil’ and he has done lots of good work in the state.
The Congress leader further said he attended the event because Sadhguru had personally visited his house and invited him with honour to attend Mahashivaratri.
He also clarified that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was his leader.
“We have a political stand and a leader, who is the leader of our country as well. Our leader is Rahul Gandhi. If someone speaks in front of me (against him) then I will also give a reply,” the DCM said.
He also highlighted that Rahul Gandhi is an ardent Shiva devotee who was initiated into Shaivism at Muruga Math at Chitradurga in Karnataka.
On being targeted for affirming his faith in Hinduism, he said, “Why should I go to some other faith, but I have love and trust in every faith. I have belief which says ‘victory to humane faith’ and ‘may there be peace with this faith’.” When he was told that his statements were leading to discussions, he said, “Let people discuss about me.” Responding to the controversy over his visit to Mahakumbh Mela in UP, Shivakumar said it is an unnecessary issue as there was nothing communal about visiting the mela.
He said Triveni Sangam at Kumbh Mela, Ganga and Cauvery are pious rivers of India.
“This (bathing in pious rivers) is the system in our religion. Other than that there is no politics. I have been saying not to politicise it. We organise Ganesha festival and Shivaratri festival,” the DCM explained.
According to him, Assembly Speaker U T Khader had asked him to go to Kumbh Mela.
“I went there to see how it was organised. I saw the way Ganga Arati is performed. We have been planning to hold Cauvery Arati. So I went there to understand how it is performed. Some of the experiences can be obtained after seeing it personally,” Shivakumar clarified.
Noting that he engaged in ethics-based politics and not caste-based, Shivakumar said the Congress party believed in taking everyone along and gave equal representation to every faith.
He also took a dig at the BJP for praising his stand.
“The BJP may not have given ticket to Muslims or Christians but why they did not close the Waqf Board and Christian Development Board. It’s because it is their constitutional rights,” the Deputy CM said. PTI GMS GMS ROH
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