Bengaluru, (DHNS): Adichunchanagiri seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami on Sunday clarified that the Mutt would not get involved in politics. But, the Mutt produces politicians and blesses them.

Speaking after release of the book ‘The story of a Guru’ here, the Swami said, BJP president Amit Shah’s visit to the Mutt was not unplanned.

“I had invited him to visit the Mutt several times. I had wished to get the book based on the life of Balagangadharanatha Swami released by a leader with religious belief. Hence, I had extended invitation to Shah, which he accepted and visited the Mutt,” he said. The book is authored by Sudhamahi Regunathan.

He pointed out that the Gorakhnath Mutt in Gorakhpur had a heritage similar to Adichunchanagiri Mutt. But, along with ‘Ashta Sutras’ the Gorakhnath Mutt had adopted one more Sutra, that is politics. Hence, Adityanath of the Mutt became the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. But, Adichunchanagiri Mutt will never get into politics, he clarified.

The Mutt has blessed politicians like Kengal Hanumanthaiah, H N Ananth Kumar and B S Yeddyurappa.

It had the power to produce more leaders, the seer said.

Shah hails Kempegowda

In his speech, Shah said Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, who founded Bengaluru, was fond of establishing religious centres.

Shah said, Kempegowda, a chieftain under the Vijayanagar empire, had dreamt of a model city and developed Bengaluru to be a centre for trade and education. He also wished to set up religious centres and he could succeed only with the blessings of the Adichunchanagiri Mutt, the BJP chief said.

Shah said, the Mutt was doing commendable work by running 464 educational institutions with 1.35 lakh students. “While the erstwhile kings were concerned about the welfare of the people, the mutts were successful in developing a civilised society,” he said.

Shah said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become an ambassador of Indian culture, by spreading it to the world.

The seer felicitated Shah by presenting him a silver idol of Ganesha. Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, BJP national secretary and MP Mahesh Giri were present.