Vokkaligas in Karnataka angry at Amit Shah for disrespecting Adichunchanagiri seer

Amit Shah sat cross legged in front of Nirmalanandanatha seer during his visit to the mutt Nirmalanandanatha seer, who is also an IIT graduate, is highly respected The Adichunchanagiri Mutt is in Nagamangala, Mandya district

BJP national president Amit Shah who visited the Adichunchanagiri Mutt on Sunday has earned the ire of Vokkaligas for sitting cross-legged in front of Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer Nirmalanandanatha seer.

A photo of Shah sitting before the seer with his left leg on his right has gone viral since then. Netizens wondered was this the culture that Shah and his party members boast of. "If Shah had met any brahmin seer, had he shown the same respect that he has shown to Nirmalanandanatha seer, a Shudra seer," asked the netizens, reports Suvarna News.

JD(S) leader from Mandya Puttaraju too condemned Shah for showing disrespect to the seer. "Is Shah above the seer? When even 84-year-old Deve Gowda could bend to seek the blessings of the seer, Shah dares to sit cross legged in front of the seer. Is this a culture," Puttaraju asked.

Former MP and Congress leader Ramya too questioned whether sitting like this was the culture of BJP leaders? She posted a picture captioning it as "Heights of arrogance. Is this a culture? Boycott the president of the national for disrespecting the seer."

It is reported that Shah was invited to the mutt two years ago itself. However, he had not visited the mutt owing to his commitments. However, when he visited the mutt on Sunday, the BJP party president was honoured by the seer.

Nirmalanandanatha Seer was appointed as the successor of the Vokkaliga mutt after Balagangadharanatha seer and is a highly respected seer.