Sri Dingaleshwara Swami, head of Balehosur Mutt, who claims to be the successor of the historical Moorusavir Mutt in Hubballi, has objected to the plan of the Belagavi-based KLE Society building a medical college on the land donated by the mutt in Hubballi.
Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Wednesday, ahead of the bhoomi puja of KLE Society’s medical college on Thursday, the Swami said that being the ‘successor’ of the mutt, it was his duty to protect the mutt and its property and prevent it from being handed over to others. He has often been in news for the wrong reasons on several occasions and his claim to be the successor of the mutt has been questioned in the court of law.
The swami said that precious land belonging to the mutt measuring about 24.3 acres had been donated to KLE Society for building the medical college and hospital and he believed that the present seer had agreed to the donation under duress. The swami who declined to name any person, alleged that those who had opposed his entry to the mutt were behind this donation and they were bent on grabbing the mutt’s property.
He said he would appeal to the management board of KLE Society to build a medical college and hospital in Hubballi but not on the land belonging to Moorusavir Mutt. “A medical college is required for Hubballi and I want KLE Society to establish it in Hubballi. But let the society build it on another site not on the mutt’s land,” he stressed.
Clarifying that there was no malafide intention behind speaking out now after being silent over the land deal executed nine years ago, the swami said he just wanted to protect the mutt property and now that construction was about to begin, it was his duty to raise objections. On the next course of action, he said he would meet the devotees of the mutt and elders of the community. He also said that he didn’t want a confrontation and would appeal to the society to sort out issues through dialogue. However, he declined to comment on the controversy over the mutt’s successor.