Thiruvananthapuram/Bengaluru: Days after a political spat between Karnataka and Kerala over the demolition of structures in Bengaluru’s Kogilu Layout, chief minister Siddaramaiah and his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan held cordial talks at the Sivagiri mutt near Thiruvananthapuram Wednesday.The two CMs shared the stage during the 93rd Sivagiri Theerthadanam, an annual pilgrimage held from Dec 30-Jan 1 at Sivagiri in Varkala. This marked their first public interaction since Vijayan criticised the demolition drive at Kogilu Layout, terming it “bulldozer raj” and comparing it to alleged anti-minority actions in Uttar Pradesh.
Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar had strongly objected to Vijayan’s remarks, stating that the comments were made without understanding the facts of the encroachment removal drive and asking him to refrain from interfering in Karnataka’s affairs.Despite the backdrop, both CMs exchanged pleasantries on the dais and enquired about each other’s well-being. While Vijayan left the venue before Siddaramaiah’s speech due to a cabinet meeting, the Karnataka CM paid tributes at the tomb of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri mutt.In a post on X, he said he was delighted by the warm welcome extended by Gyanateertha Swami and the followers of the Guru on his arrival in Thiruvananthapuram.Addressing the gathering, Siddaramaiah later described Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928) as a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer who led a movement against caste injustice to promote social and economic equality. He said Sivagiri mutt was not merely a place of pilgrimage but a centre of moral and intellectual thought, and called for efforts to eradicate caste oppression and strengthen social justice.Vijayan, in his inaugural address, refrained from referring to the demolition controversy and focused on the relevance of the Guru’s teachings. He cautioned against attempts to distort or confine the Guru’s philosophy to caste or religious boundaries, and said the concept of a theocratic state was against the Guru’s ideals.The Sivagiri Mutt campus, spread across 200 acres, was where the Guru attained samadhi in 1928. The programme was also attended by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and others.
