Upset over Adi ouster move, Veerashaivas slam Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: In another twist to the controversial move by ruling Congress legislators to remove Upa Lokayukta Subhash Adi, All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha has criticized CM Siddaramaiah about proceedings in the Legislative Assembly against the retired high court judge on grounds that they have hurt the sentiments of Lingayats, and convened a meeting of the general body on January 10 to discuss the issue. 

 

N. Thippanna, senior vice-president of this powerful organization, has written to Mr Siddaramaiah about how Lingayats are disturbed about the government’s move of initiating the process for removal of Justice Adi. “Without having any substantial evidence, adopting the motion notice in the Assembly against Justice Adi was unfair,” states his letter.  

 

Mr. Thippanna, who earlier headed the state unit of JD (S) but quit the party over differences with the leadership, told DC “We will decide on future course of action after taking suggestions from our members. More than 1000 members are expected to participate in the general body meeting at Bengaluru on January 10. I was left with no option but to write to the Chief Minister. Before writing to him, six to seven times, I had requested the government not to initiate removal proceedings against Justice Adi. We waited for the government to close the issue, but after watching the developments, I have decided to write an open letter to the CM”, he added. 

 

Mr. Thippanna stated that members of his community have taken to task the managing committee for not doing anything about the government’s decision to remove the Upa Lokayukta. “We have  3,000 members in  Mahasabha. After eliciting their opinion, we will take a decision”, he added. 

 

The Mahasabha has approached KPPC president and home minister Dr. G.Parameshwar, requesting him not to go against the community especially in the case of Justice Adi, he said. 

 

Interestingly, minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who is the president of Mahasabha, has maintained stoic silence on the issue. he alleged. The Mahasabha expressed displeasure over the delay in arresting the accused in murder of former vice chancellor Dr. M.M. Kalaburagi, and the fact that the state government had ignored the seniority of IAS officer V. Umesh while drawing up a shortlist of names of top bureaucrats for the Chief Secretary’s post.