Live
- Kiran Abbavaram's Hard Work Pays Off: Bunny Vasu Lauds Ka Team at Success Meet
- PM Modi’s welfare schemes transform rural lives in Bokaro, residents share gratitude
- We will ensure Bangladeshi infiltrators are removed from Jharkhand: BJP's Gourav Vallabh
- Hezbollah fires five rockets at central, northern Israel: sources
- HM Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh to address several rallies in Jharkhand tomorrow
- Will not waste single day in getting back what we lost, Omar Abdullah tells Assembly
- PM Modi visits Advani's residence to wish him on birthday, shares special moment
- Sun-Dried Cotton to Be Taken to CCI Purchase Centers, Avoid Middlemen - Collector
- Survey Process Requires Public Cooperation - Collector Badavath Santosh
- Distribution of Maize Seeds to Farmers at Agricultural Research Center
‘Disappointing’: Mallikarjun Kharge on no Bharat Ratna for Karnataka Seer
It is disappointing that the Central government did not announce to confer the Bharat Ratna award on Shivakumara Swami, iconic Lingayat seer who died recently, said Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday
Kharge accused the BJP, RSS and the Central forces of trying to destabilise Karnataka before the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Kalaburgi: It is disappointing that the Central government did not announce to confer the Bharat Ratna award on Shivakumara Swami, iconic Lingayat seer who died recently, said Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday.
Speaking to ANI, Mr Kharge said, "I welcome the decision to give Bharat Ratna to Pranab Mukherjee, but Shivakumara Swami Ji worked a lot in the education sector and spent his life working for the orphan and their education. He should be honoured with the Bharat Ratna award. We had expected this."
Shivakumara Swami died on January 21 at 111 years. In Karnataka, Swami was often referred to as the "walking god" among his followers. His education society runs over 100 educational institutions in the state. The renowned Lingayat seer joined the Siddaganga Mutt in 1930 only to become its seer in 1941 after the death of his guru Uddana Swami.
Mr Kharge also criticised the BJP for not pitching Swami's name for the Bharat Ratna. "The government had seen his work. Even then the BJP government did not give him the award. This is sad. A singer and a man who propagated RSS ideology have also been awarded. If you compare all of them, then Shivakumara Swami Ji should have been given the award," he said.
A political controversy has erupted after the Central government on Friday declared the name of former President Pranab Mukherjee for Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, along with noted singer Bhupen Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh, an RSS ideologue, posthumously.
Apart from serving as the President of the country, Mr Mukherjee has held the charge of top ministries including Finance and External Affairs.
Talking about the ongoing political crisis in Karnataka, Congress leader Mr Kharge accused the BJP, RSS and the Central forces of trying to destabilise Karnataka before the coming Lok Sabha elections.
"The BJP, RSS and all the Central forces are at work to destabilise Karnataka before the Lok Sabha elections and bring in the Governor's rule but this won't happen. No matter how much you try to pull us down, if one goes, ten will come back," Mr Kharge said.
