‘Modi meets Bollywood stars but skips seer’s funeral’: Karnataka Dy CM slams PM

Tumkur, Jan 23: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not attending the last rites of the highly revered Lingayat seer Shivakumara Swami.

Earlier in the day G Parameshwara took to Twitter to hit out at the Prime Minister.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends celebrity weddings, meets movie stars but skips the funeral of our NaDedāDuva devaru, who dedicated his life to help the poor and the marginalised. Repeated requests to confer Bharat Ratna on him have gone in vain,” he tweeted.

The 111-year-old iconic seer of the Lingayat community, who passed away on Monday after protracted illness, was laid to rest with state honours at the Sidhaganga Mutt, which he headed. Thousands of devotees bid their ‘walking god’ a tearful farewell at the ceremony that was attended by top political leaders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, did not attend the funeral ceremony but paid tributes on twitter after the news of his demise, expressing his prayers and solidarity with the seer’s devotees across the world. In his tweet, the Prime Minister said the seer had lived for the people, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Recalling the seer’s immense contribution in the field of education Parameshwara told reporters that the Prime Minister’s visit would have “raised the level of his office.”

“Swami served the humanity and if the Prime Minister would have attended, it would have raised the level of his office,” he said.

“Swami was a respected man who picked up cause of education at the time when India needed it the most. He gave direction to lakh of students. We are not politicising it. All I’m saying is the Prime Minister should have attended the cremation ceremony of Sri Shivakumara Swami, who served humanity.

“I am not saying where else the Prime Minister should have gone. I am not a small-minded person. If the Prime Minister would have attended, it would have raised the level of his office,” Parameshwara said.

Karnataka Chief Minister declared a three-day state mourning for the seer.