Politicians patronizing mutts is not new. But recent incidents in Karnataka show that religious heads are increasingly wielding their influence on the government be it reservation, Cabinet expansion or electoral politics.
At a recent congregation of Veerashaiva-Lingayat seers in Karnataka, a prominent pontiff warned the BJP national leadership that the saffron party will not be able to gain power anywhere in South India if the government failed to meet their demand.
The ongoing reservation protests led by seers from politically-dominant communities have yet again raised concerns not only about the blurring of lines between politics and pontiffs, but also about the extent of power vested with the Mutts.
That the religious leaders have taken to streets, blatantly flexing their political muscle, has put the Karnataka government in a fix. The seers are dictating terms to the government. Seers should not indulge in politics and stick to spirituality.
The elected representatives have surrendered the people’s mandate given to them through elections, to the seers. Unfortunately people respond to calls of religious leaders from their communities more than that of political leaders.
It’s not right on part of seers to threaten to overthrow a democratically-elected government.
