Disenfranchisement of Muslims row: Let them jail me, I’ve left it to God, says Vokkaliga seer

Bengaluru: Reacting to the Karnataka police notice summoning him for questioning over his demand for disenfranchisement of Muslims, Vokkaliga seer Chandrashekaranatha Swami stated on Saturday that he was ready to go to jail and had left the matter to God.

The seer told the media on Saturday, "I am ready to go to jail if they want me to. I had taken part in the pro-farmer protest and spoken against the alleged snatching of their lands by the Waqf Board. I can't go to the police station for questioning. If they come to my mutt, I will give clarification for my statement."

"The statement against Muslims was a slip of the tongue. It was not intentional. Expressing regret, I had made the statement the very next day. Let's leave the matter here," he stated.

"Our Mutt has Muslim devotees too. I also attend marriage functions of the Muslim community. I don't understand why the complaint was registered against me," the seer stated.

"I don't know about the notice issued by the police summoning me for questioning. I am not in a good state of health. Many leaders have met me and expressed their solidarity with me. I am not bothered about consequences," the seer maintained.

"I have never stated anything regarding banning of the Waqf Board. I have demanded that farmers’ lands must not be taken away. Why is the government acting in such a fashion? The appeasement of one community by the government is not good," he opined.

“Many statements were made earlier. My statement won't make a difference and there is a Constitution. My whole intention is the farmers should not be exploited. Let me see the legal consequences," the seer maintained.

Swami heads the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt and the statements were made at a protest on Tuesday in Bengaluru, organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers’ organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to condemn the Waqf Board’s alleged move to take away farmers’ lands.

Swami stated, “Politicians indulge in vote bank politics and appeasement of Muslims. Hence, Muslims should be deprived of exercising their voting powers. This should be done and the end of vote bank politics would help the progress of the country.”

Upparpet police have registered a FIR against the seer following the complaint in this regard.

The police have lodged an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the seer.

The complaint stated that the statement by the seer was provocative and threatens to disturb communal harmony in society.

The filing of the FIR against him has taken a serious political turn with a Karnataka BJP delegation visiting him on Friday and warning of “serious consequences” if he was booked by the police.

The BJP delegation’s visit to the powerful Vokkaliga seer was headed by Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan.