Karnataka: God under ‘undue’ pressure for power politics
By Manohar Yadavatti
Bengaluru,16 July(HS): Thanks to the present power politics and crisis prevailing in the state, the omnipotent and all-pervasive almighty appears to be under duress and undue pressure from all those crossing swords only to somehow manage to grab power, hook or crook!
The outcome of the general elections of May 2018 to the state Assembly threw a fractured verdict with no clear cut majority to either of the three major players, Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP), Indian National Congress(INC) and the Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S).
But prior to these public polls and also during them and much before the declaration of results, many ardent political devotees literally started making a bee-line to all possible pilgrimage centres within the state and also in the neighbouring ones.
A new word ‘temple-run’ was also coined by the regional broadcast media to do justice to the newfound activity in an unheard manner.
HD Devegowda, the former prime minister and his family members performed ‘Atirudra Mahayaaga’ for 13 days at the ancient and renowned Shri Sharadamba temple of Sringeri in Chikmagalur district.
According to local legend, Adi Shankaracharya decided to set up the first Sringeri Sharada Peetham on the banks of Tunga river during the 8th century and the reason for his decision was that he happened to witness a cobra with a raised hood providing shelter to a frog undergoing labour pain from the scorching sun!
Terrifically impressed the seer felt the place to be a unique one since the natural enemies had gone beyond their usual instincts and stayed back there for 12 years teaching and preaching his disciples and followers.
Sringeri was not the only place where the Devegowda family performed such religious rites as similar performings were ensured at Kolluru, the base of Godess Mookambike in adjoining Udupi district.
Likewise did the family in many more places of worship to ensure that the God will bestow upon them the golden opportunity to govern the state. They were not the only ones in such activities as DK Shivakumar, Man Friday of the Congress and BS Yeddyurappa, former BJP chief minister also paid their obeisance in their own way and capacities at different temples!
It looks God was pleased with the ‘total surrender’ of the Devegowda family. Although the saffron party bagged 104 seats and emerged as the single largest party it was deprived by the magical 113 number in a house of 224 members to form a government of its own.
The INC and JD-S, during the election campaigning were behaving like street dogs as most leaders of these rival parties left no unparliamentary synonyms hurled against one another. But all such public diatribe was only till the polls got over.
What all ‘nice words’ they had exchanged before polls had to be swallowed by sworn enemies turned strange bed partners with the only intention of keeping the BJP away from the corridors of power.
And the Janata Dal-Secular party which had won a mere 37 seats was entrusted with an enormous responsibilty of handling the mantle of the state while the Congress preferred to be a junior partner even after garnering 78 seats!
Taken aback by such piquant developments many a cynic confessed: It looks God is heeding the Devegowda family at last!
Again it’s the same plight now for the Devegowda family and HD Revanna, PWD Minister and elder brother of HD Kumaraswamy is back in action on temple run again. But whether God will continue to come to rescue of the Devegowda family needs to be watched on coming Thursday 18 July.
