Vaishnavaite seer Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy on Friday admitted, although indirectly, that there is indeed a gap between him and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Replying to a specific question from a reporter at Seethanagaram in Vijayawada about widening gap between him and KCR, Jeeyar Swamy said he did not feel that there is any gap (between him and the chief minister).
“But if the other side feels there is a gap, I am not responsible for it,” he said.
There are reports that KCR is angry with Chinna Jeeyar Swamy for not including his name along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the plaque during the inauguration of Statue of Equality, the 216-ft statue of saint Ramanujacharya on February 5.
The Telangana chief minister is unlikely to invite Chinna Jeeyar Swamy to the consecration of renovated Yadadri temple on March 28.
“We are like eyes of the society, keeping a watch on the goings on and we try to guide the people in the right path. If there are any thorns in the path, we warn the people. If they don’t listen to us, they will feel the pain,” he said, indirectly hinting that KCR is going in the wrong direction.
Jeeyar Swamy called for a press conference to clarify on the latest controversy over his alleged comments against Telangana tribal goddesses Sammakka and Sarakka and said his comments were distorted and presented out of context.
Stating that the video being circulated in the social media was 20 years old, Swamy said some portion from his speech was picked up now and distorted.
“You have to see the entire context. You can't pick up something and highlight it. This becomes ridiculous. I leave it to the wisdom of the people who believe it. I cannot say beyond that,” he said.
The seer said he believed in the philosophy of respecting all and he will never make any comments demeaning tribals, especially women.
“I said Sammkka and Saralamma had not come from heaven but grew to the status of goddesses amidst tribals. That is why they are being worshipped,” he said.
He only pointed out the wrong-doings by some people, who are resorting to anti-social activities using the village deities.
"It is my social responsibility to speak out against those indulging in such activities," he said.
Jeeyar Swamy said their organisation Vikas Tarngeni has set up schools and conducted health camps for tribals.
He claimed that no other organisation in India had done work among women, especially tribals on this scale. He said both the doctors involved in this and the beneficiaries were from all communities including Muslims and Christians.