Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Mar 13: Sri Laxmivarateertha Swamiji of Shiroor Math, who recently announced his decision to contest the Assembly elections this time, on Tuesday March 13 hit out at a Kannada TV channel for airing a fake video and claiming that he had made 'explosive revelations' about the Ashta Maths.
The channel aired a video claiming that Shiroor Swamiji had 'revealed' that all the venerated Swamijis of Ashta Maths had 'children' and that 'murders' had taken place in the premises of Sri Krishna Temple.
Slamming the channel, Shiroor Swamiji said that the video was fake and that someone had played mischief by imitating his voice. He also said that the video was old.
"Where did the channel get this video from? Do they not know that it is an old video? About six or seven months ago I had approached the court complaining about this video. It is all fake," he said.
Without blaming anyone directly, he said the video was aired by those who could not tolerate his entry into politics. "When you enter politics, it is natural that bad things are circulated about you. There will be even more of this in future. But I don't care. Even if I am shot with a bullet, I will not die. God is with me. I will stand for elections come what may," he asserted.
"I will answer my critics through the court. In today's technological world, anything is possible. The other Swamijis of Ashta Maths are aware who is behind all this mischief," he said.
'Shiroor Swamiji confessed about having children', says Pejawar Swamiji
Meanwhile, commenting on the incident, the senior-most Swamiji of the Ashta Maths, Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Pejawa Math, said that though the video was fake and even the claim that all Swamijis have children was false, he did concede that Shiroor Swamiji had in fact confessed about having children of his own.
"Shiroor Swamiji had confessed to me before. He was then relinquished from the responsibility of ascending the Paryaya and he stays in a different place and not the main Shiroor Math. None of the other seven Swamijis has any children, contrary to claims," he said, adding that it was up to Sri Laxmivarateertha Swamiji whether to leave the Shiroor Math or not, and no one else could make that decision.
He also said that while there are some allegations against Shiroor Swamiji, there is none against any of the other Swamijis.
On whether any further action would be taken on the matter, he said he would discuss with heads of the Ashta Maths and decide.
Regarding Shiroor Swamiji's entry into politics, Pejawar Swamiji declined to comment and said everybody has the right to contest the elections.