Protest organised against Yatnal for his remark against Basaveshwara

Members of some Lingayat institutions protested in Belagavi on Saturday, against Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA, for allegedly insulting Sri Basaveshwara.

Members of some Lingayat institutions protested in Belagavi on Saturday, against Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA, for allegedly insulting reformer Basaveshwara.

Protesters marched from the Kannada Sahitya Bhavan to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. They burned an effigy and image of Mr. Yatnal, despite strong attempts by the police to stop them . They submitted a memorandum to the government through the Deputy Commissioner’s office, seeking action against Mr. Yatnal. They shouted slogans against the MLA and said that his recent statement about Basaveshwara amounted to a grave insult.

Shankar Gudas, leader, said that Mr. Yatnal had used insulting terms about the 12th century reformer saint-poet and that this demonstrated that he knew next to nothing about the cultural revolution led by Basaveshwara and other Sharanas. He has insulted Basavanna by his mindless statements. That this is happening in the State that has declared Basaveshwara as a cultural leader, is highly condemnable, he said. He demanded that the State police file a suo moto case against the MLA.

Mr. Gudas also demanded that Mr. Yatnal should seek a public apology before the winter session and threatened that if he did not do so, he would face protests in Belagavi.

Satyakka Mataji, head of the Basava Dharma Peetha, said that Mr. Yatnal had claimed that Basaveshwara had ended his life out of desperation. “This implies that he was helpless. This is insulting and demeaning the character of the great spiritual leader who led the way for the world. Was Mr. Yatnal present in the 12th century? Did he see what happened to Sharanas like Basaveshwara? He should provide valid references to his claims or bite his tongue,’‘ Mataji said.

She urged the Lingayat community not to refer to Mr. Yatnal as a Lingayat leader henceforth. “He should study Vachana literature before making any statements in future,” she added.

Community leaders like Basavaraj Rotti, Ashok Bendigeri, K. Basavaprasad, Mahantesh Gudas, Iranna Dayannanavar, Suryakant Bavi, Susheela Lingayat, Vandana Babanagar and others were present.