Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 14: Angry reaction over certain words spoken by MLA and president of Akhil Bharath Veerashaiva Mahasabha, Dr Shamanur Shivashankarappa, about demand for separate Lingaya religion at the congratulatory function organized at Davanagere on Saturday January 12 have given rise to war of words. Many have rushed to support or criticize Shmanur for his comments.

"Because of people who planned to break the religion, many people from Veerashaiva Lingayat community faced defeat in the assembly election. Some people used black money for breaking the religion. This is continuing even now," Shamanur said. He also continued verbal tirade against people who continue to demand separate religion status for Lingayat.

"What does M B Patil know about how I have reached this level? He is still a small boy. He does not know anything. He is a monkey. I do not want to talk about him. He was going astray when myself and Prabhakar Kore brought him back to the mainstream and helped him to reach this stage. I do not want to comment more about him," Shamanur said.

Home minister, M B Patil, in an angry retort, said that Shamanur had exposed his cheap mentality by calling the former a monkey. Speaking to media persons on Sunday at Koodalasangama, he said he too can call Shamnur a monkey, mad monkey, gorilla, etc but it does not suit his culture. "I grew up because of the blessings of my father. I had not become pervert as claimed by Shivashankarappa. Let him come to the right track now," he said. He hastened to add that he has always believed that Shamanur Shivashankarappa is like his father, and that his reaction is only to what the leader said about him and not otherwise. "But he has exposed his cheap mind through this outburst," Patil said.