Vokkaliga mutt head, booked for comments against Muslims, emerges rallying point for BJP
Swami Chandrashekara Natha, head of a Vokkaliga mutt in Bengaluru, has emerged as a rallying point for BJP leaders after the government booked him over his remarks against Muslims. The Swami had, participating in a protest against the Waqf Board claiming ownership of farmlands at many places, called for a law to end the voting rights for Muslims.
The Swami, however, later expressed regrets over his comments, calling them unintended ones uttered in a bout of emotion. He did not mean it as the country gave voting rights to every citizen.
While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Dy CM DK Shivakumar have distanced themselves from the FIR, registered by the Bengaluru Police based on a complaint from a social worker, the BJP has thrown its weight behind the Swami. The Police had wanted the mutt head to appear before them on Monday to record his statement, but he did not turn up citing health issues and told Police that they were free to visit the Mutt and take his statement.
Vokkaligas are the second largest community in Karnataka after Lingayats and the BJP-JDS combine faced defeat in the Vokkaliga-dominated Channapatna in the November 13 bypolls. The FIR against the Vokkaliga Swami has come as a weapon for the BJP to mount an offensive against the Congress.
A BJP delegation, led by state president BY Vijayendra, met the mutt head on Monday and vowed to stand by the Swami. The BJP, throwing its weight behind the religious leader, has sought to know from the CM why his government did not book the followers of a Rajya
