BJP to launch stir if FIR against Chandrashekar Swami is not nixed; seer gets police notice

BENGALURU: The opposition BJP in the state seems to have decided to stand with Chandrashekar Swami, the head of Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasansthana Mutt, after an FIR was filed against him at the Upparpet police station for his controversial remarks on denying voting rights to Muslims.

On Saturday, the police issued a notice to Chandrashekar Swami asking him to present himself at the police station at 11 am on December 3 in connection with the FIR.

On Friday, Opposition leader in the Assembly, R Ashoka, and former Deputy CM Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, called on the seer and warned the government against troubling him. Chandrashekar Swami made the controversial statement during the ‘Raita Gharjane’ farmers’ rally at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, and, after widespread criticism, issued an apology.

BJP leaders R Ashoka and Ashwath Narayan met the seer on Friday.

The BJP has decided to launch a statewide protest seeking cancellation of the FIR registered against the 80-year-old seer and the JD(S) is also expected to extend support. The BJP plans to portray the Congress government as anti-Vokkaliga. It remains to be seen if the government will soft-pedal on the case, given the seer’s age and health condition. The Congress is likely to adopt a wait-and-watch approach and let the law take its own course.

Meanwhile, reacting to the filing of the FIR against him, Chandrashekar Swami said, “I have left everything to God, I took part in the pro-farmer rally and spoke against farmers losing their land. In the heat of the moment, I spoke about Muslim voting rights, but it was not intentional and I apologised for it the next day itself. Bharat is a land of all religions, and drop the issue here. I never asked for a ban on the waqf board, I only said farmers should get their land”.

Further, he said, “Our math has Muslim devotees too and I even attend Muslim weddings. I don’t know why they have registered a case against me and I don’t know about the notice issued by the police. I am unwell and taking rest. I cannot go to the police station, but if they come here, I will clarify on my remarks. If they put me in jail, let them do it. Some leaders visited me yesterday and extended support. It is not right that the government is trying to appease a particular section”.