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Prominent mutt’s poll sway under lens as key seer face rape charges
Despite allegations, no clear support to any candidate, several political leaders have started visiting mutts with a large following to seek blessings before the Karnataka elections.
Bengaluru
Ahead of the May 10 assembly elections in Karnataka, politicians are visiting mutts with a large following. Though the mutts may not openly support the candidature of a leader or even identify directly with any party, politicians feel that if they seek the blessings of the mutts, then the votes of the devotees might follow.
On April 23, a prominent religious head had appealed to voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right to elect a government.
In Chitradurga in central Karnataka, the sexual assault allegations against prominent Lingayat seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru have, however, cast a looming shadow over the political influence of the Murugha mutt.
In September last year, Shivamurthy Sharanaru was arrested for allegedly raping two girls, aged 15 and 16, who lived at a hostel run by the Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Vidyapeetha. The arrest came after an uproar in the civil society, and a case was filed against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. While there have been twists and turns in the case, the complainants have given a harrowing account of the alleged sexual assault at the reputed mutt.
As the support of the dominant Lingayat community -- nearly 17% of the total population -- is crucial for the electoral outcome, the mutt’s political significance comes into play. It wields a huge clout in Chitradurga and other places in central Karnataka, where the mutt offers services, such as free education to people from backward communities.
After the arrest of Shivamurthy Sharanaru, Davangere-based Virakta Mutt seer Basavaprabhu was appointed the in-charge pontiff of Murugha Mutt in October last year.
Basavaprabhu, a disciple of the accused seer, said the devotees have been coming to the mutt like always, but politicians cozying up to the mutt has significantly reduced after the allegations. “Politicians visiting us at the mutt has reduced a lot compared to the previous elections. But some of them meet us at events and express their sympathies about the whole conspiracy,” he said.
“Those who were involved in the conspiracy have not been given any ticket for the upcoming elections. Everyone has scolded them and sent them back, be it the Congress, JD(S) or BJP,” he added.
Basavaprabhu was referring to SK Basavarajan, a former mutt administrator and a former JD(S) MLA, who had a sour relationship with Shivamurthy Sharanaru, and against whom a counter case of rape and kidnapping has been filed.
Basavarajan and his wife Sowbhagya have been accused of conspiring against the seer, and were arrested in the case. They were later released on bail. Sowbhagya is contesting as an independent from Chitradurga after her husband was denied a ticket.
Parties have reacted cautiously to the sexual assault charges, fearing a backlash from the Lingayat community. Former CM and Lingayat leader BS Yediyurappa, who openly come out in support of Shivamurthy and said the allegations were “false”, later condemned him. State Congress chief DK Shivakumar, who initially backed the seer, later refused to comment, while JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said he was not surprised by the charges.
H Ekanthappa, a former minister from Chitradurga, said, “People are disappointed with the incident and administration of the mutt. But they still hold the mutt in high regard,”
It is evident from the number of devotees thronging the mutt, which runs about 150 institutions, including schools, medical and engineering colleges, and hospitals. Even after the seer’s arrest, the sprawling campus is buzzing with devotees walking into the mutt for a meal, a bus full of school kids queuing up for a tour of the museum, and vendors busy tending to people with buttermilk and cold drinks.
While the mutt has not lost its spiritual clout, the devotees seem to be divided over the mutt politics and the accusations against Shivamurthy Sharanaru. “It’s hard to believe he would do something like that. He is known to be quite progressive in his thinking and actions. He has helped so many communities,” said a devotee who does not wish to be named.
Shivamurthy was seen as a revolutionary among the masses, after he established Upa Mathas – subsidiary monasteries. He helped marginalised groups pick their own heads from their own caste groups. He encouraged mass marriages, allowing widows to get remarried, ending caste-based practices and was instrumental in setting up institutions for the downtrodden, the devotee said.
Another devotee, who was apprehensive to comment on the sexual assault allegations, said the it is an unforgivable crime. “If he has really done such a crime, he should be punished. The incident has brought a bad name to the whole community and the mutt,” she said.
Lingayat strongman Yediyurappa is believed to be close to Shivamurthy, and in 2018, the seer had come out in support of Siddaramaiah’s Congress government, applauding him for recognising the Lingayat sect as a religious minority. The seer had also hosted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was taught to carry out ‘Ishta Linga’ worship. “While he did not support any single party, he has been so influential that leaders cutting across party lines came to seek his support,” a spokesperson of the mutt said.
Political analyst Chambi Puranik said the mutt following has no bearing on the elections as other mutts have been cautious about the influence they command. “The mutt and swamy ji have lost the clout now, after that ugly incident, which is a humiliation for Veerashaiva Lingayat community. It has no bearing on polls as other mutts of other sects are worried about the very influence they commanded when Yediyurappa was the chief minister.”
“Majority of the leaders of the community are carefully avoiding this factor as many candidates in that area are scared of the likely wrath of OBCs and women voters in general. It has the least or almost nil impact in the surrounding areas -- Chitradurga, Shivamogga and Davangere -- where the followers feel highly embarrassed by the seer’s moral turpitude and abuse of girl students, who come from poorest background, which itself is unpardonable both morally and legally,” Puranik added.
Basavaprabhu and the other members of the mutt are, meanwhile, hopeful that Shivamurthy will come out clean. “We are trying all means legally to get Swamiji out. More importantly, in the charge sheet, its said that there was no rape. After this, everyone’s opinion has changed,” Basavaprabhu said.
In December last year, the medical examination report of the two minor girls who accused Shivamurthy Sharanaru of rape revealed that there was no case of penetrative sex.
Puranik, however, said that no amount of defensive talk or legal strategies can bring back the old glory that the mutt had for more than a century.
