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The controversy over Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's visit to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha yoga centre in Tamil Nadu for Mahashivaratri celebrations has refused to die down with leaders in the state Congress unit sharply divided over the issue.
Cooperative Minister K N Rajanna questioned the justification behind Shivakumar sharing the stage with those who have been critical of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“Sadhguru had himself said he does not know Rahul Gandhi. Isn't it? He (Shivakumar) knows better than me what people speak about our leader Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. Let him answer how justified it is to share stage with such people,” Rajanna told media in Hassan.
However, former MP D K Suresh backed his brother, saying Shivakumar has always kept the party informed before attending any event.
“Whenever Shivakumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi he informed the party high command. He had even informed the high command about attending Isha Foundation's Maha Shivaratri event,” Suresh told reporters in Bengaluru.
He also maintained that Shivakumar's visit to the event was not clandestine.
Sadhguru had invited Shivakumar personally to attend the event in Coimbatore, which he accepted and attended, he explained.
Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, attended the grand function in Coimbatore on Wednesday, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present.
Defending his visit, the Deputy CM had emphasised his deep faith, saying, "I was born Hindu and will die Hindu".
State Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said the party high command should take note of the issue, which has escalated beyond Karnataka and now become a matter of national concern.
“It's now an inter-state issue and is related to the people in Delhi. People in Delhi should take note of it as we don't know what is right and what is wrong,” he told scribes in Bengaluru.
Minister M B Patil too defended the Deputy CM's visit to Coimbatore, asserting that he did not violate the party policy.
“It is as per the party policy only. Isn't Shivakumar a Hindu? What's there to attend Shivaratri celebrations? Does it violate attending Shivaratri event? Didn't I go to Shiva temple?” Patil asked while speaking to reporters in Vijayapura.
The Minister stressed that Shivakumar is a diehard Congress leader and termed the speculations about his visit to Coimbatore as "media creation".
Addressing concerns over sharing dais with Amit Shah, he asked, “What's wrong in that? Didn't we Congress leaders sit with them (BJP leaders) together?”
Patil said Sadhguru organises events in a grand manner every year and the programme was not a political one.