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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Special Correspondent

Now, devotees question mutt’s land donation

Devotees of Moorusavir Mutt accompanied by their advocate addressing a press meet in Hubballi on Saturday. (Source: Kiran Bakale)

Close on the heels of seer of Balehosur Mutt Sri Dingaleshwar Swami objecting to the Moorusavir Mutt’s decision to donate mutt’s land to KLE Society to build a medical college and hospital, a section of the devotees has questioned the donation and said that it was in violation of a court order pertaining to the mutt.

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, mutt’s devotee Anandyya Hiremath and his advocate S.N. Patil said that the decision of seer of the mutt Sri Gurusiddha Rajaygoindra Swami was in violation of the Supreme Court order and the swami should immediately take back the land. Otherwise, KLE Society should return it to the mutt as taking the land was not only a violation of court order but also an offence.

Mr. Patil, said that a dispute between Sri Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami and Sri Rudramuni Swami, who was a claimant as a successor of the mutt, was resolved in 2009 before the Arbitral Tribunal of Justice Chittatosh Mukherjee, former Chief Justice of Calcutta and Bombay High Courts. “As per the agreement, Sri Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami is barred from handing over any mutt land to others. However, in violation of their arbitration agreement, the swami has donated the land to KLE Society,” he said.

Mr. Patil contended that his client being a devotee of the mutt would not have objected to the donation, if KLE Society was opening a charitable hospital where the poor would get free treatment. But the reality was that KLE Society was setting up a medical college and super-specialty hospital with business interests and the swami should immediately take back the land from KLE Society, he said.

Meanwhile, in a press conference, Sri Dingaleshwar Swami reiterated his opposition to the land donation by the mutt and said that at a time when the mutt was in financial distress and selling land for a few lakhs of rupees to mobilise funds, what was the need for donating 24.30 acres of land which was worth crores of rupees to KLE Society.

The swami too said that the donation was in violation of the arbitration agreement reached before the Arbitral Tribunal of Justice Chittatosh Mukherjee in 2009.

The swami said that he was being threatened for opposing the land donation and after he addressed the first press conference in this regard, he was threatened with dire consequences by unidentified persons on the outskirts of Hubballi. The swami said that he had filed a complaint with Laxmeshwar Police in this connection.

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