Belagavi: Athani Veeranna, international vice president of Veerashaiva Mahasabha and close associate of Congress veteran Shamanur Shivashankarappa, stated recently that Veerashaivas are being sidelined by the current state government while the Vokkaligas are ruling.

Speaking at a public event in Belagavi, he stated that the two warring Vokkaliga leaders- D K Shivakumar and H D Kumaraswamy, joined hands to bring the Vokkaliga rule in the state. “But Veerashaiva leaders were divided on caste lines and stopped a Veerashaiva from becoming the CM,” he stated.

“We need to organise and stop the people from dividing the society,” he said.

“Other caste leaders forget their political differences to strengthen their caste. But Veerashaivas never come together,” he lamented.