Chinna Jeeyar swami in soup again over comments on Jagadgurus!

Hyderabad, Feb 17: Courting controversy is nothing new for Sri Vaishnava Pontiff Chinna Jeeyar Swami!

Though quite popular among Vaishnavaities, Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami's observations and comments at times earned the wrath of other communities, the latest being Veerashaiva Lingayats.

In a video purported to be from the newly inaugurated Sri Ramanujacharya's Statue of Equality near here, Chinna Jeeyar Swami took potshots at Jagadgurus of other communities saying they are "partial" Jagadgurus and the real Jagadguru is Ramanujacharya Swami!

"There are several gurus in the world. Some are masquerading as Jadagurus. But only one Guru has become the guru for all. He was Ramanujula waru. Others are… partially they are gurus. They became gurus for some people. There are lots of them calling themselves Jagadguru…Jadadguru...You have seen them. If you go to some places, there is Jadaguru in every street. Again that Jagadguru and this Jagadguru don't get along. I don't know how many Jagads are there. When they don't get along, we don't know whose Jagad is this and that," he remarked in Telugu.

He added," In the world, some people have some following. Only some become gurus. The real guru is one who is accepted by one and all. There is only one Guru who is not only Guru for people but also for Gods…He is Ramanuja Swamulu varu who happens to be Guru of Sri Venkateswara Swamy. That's why Ramanujawaru…his shisya Sri Venkateswara Swami came to these premises…"

Jagadguru is used by all the Peetadhipathis of Mutts in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, North India as a title.

Taking exceptions to the comments, several Veerashaiva Lingayat organizations demanded an apology from Sri Chinna Jeeyar swami.

"We are hurt by the comments of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami. You preach equality of all and established Samantha Murthy, but you cannot insult others. You cannot say your guru is great. We strongly condemn the comments," Madhu Shekar Prasadi of Telangana Veerashaiva Lingayat Federation (TVLF) said. Pasaram Srinivas of Sri Vishwa Lingayat Trust and other organizations also flayed swami and demanded him to withdraw such statements.

Saint Ramanuja is a noted Hindu philosopher and social reformer of Sri Vaishnava tradition from Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. The saint is in news now on the occasion of his 1000th birth anniversary and unveiling of 216 feet tall statue of equality (Samata Murthy) and Divya Saketam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami initiated the Statue of Equality spread over 45 acres in Muchintala village near Shamshabad Airport on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Swami was born on 3rd November 1956 in Arthamuru village in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.

In fact, the Statue was mired in controversy as it was made in China, forcing Union Minister G Kishan Reddy to clarify that the government had no role in the project and it was a private initiative. The absence of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at the Airport to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he came to inaugurate the statue and missing name on the plaque kicked up political dust.

In the past, Swami came in for sharp rebuke by Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi, Kula Vivaksha Porata Samiti, Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika, Yerukala Sangam, and other organizations for ridiculing dietary habits of non-vegetarians.

Mr. Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, as seen in the recorded video, had said: "If you eat something it will have an impact on you of that food. If you eat pork, you would think like a pig…"