Don’t politicise ABVM, says Lingayat leader

Dharwad: Former councillor and leader of Lingayat community T S Patil has alleged that some JD(S) and Congress leaders were using the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha (ABVM) to promote their political interests.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, he said the ABVM is an organization of Veerashaiva-Lingayats to protect and promote the interest of the community and it does not subscribe to any political party. The organization has members from all political parties and different walks of life and using the position in ABVM to promote political interest is highly objectionable, he said.
Referring to ABVM district unit president Gururaj Hunshimarad taking some people with him in a protest march claiming that they are ABVM members, to the DC’s office to bat for home minister M B Patil and former MLA Vinay Kulkarni on April 29, T S Patil said ABVM is not a wing of the Congress party.
Hunashimarad had opposed BJP’s protest against the police for arresting Shruti Bellakki.
T S Patil said Shruti is a law student and she had spoken against attempts to divide the Lingayat community.
The video went viral during elections and angered Congress leaders prompting them to file an FIR against her and later her arrest. “The Lingayats will not tolerate this intimidation” he said.