Nishchalananda Swamy of the Vishwa Vokkaliga Mutt participating in a programme on World Population Day at Government First Grade College for Women in Hassan on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Hassan district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly condemned seer Nishchalananda Swamy of the Vishwa Vokkaliga Mutt for describing “leftists” as “the most dangerous” and “selfish” people, in remarks made at a college programme in the city.CPI(M) district secretary H.R. Naveen Kumar, in a statement issued on Friday, condemned the seer’s remarks. He wanted the seer to withdraw his statements, and also appealed to the organisers of the programme to clarify their stand on the opinions expressed by the seer.The seer made the comments while addressing students at a programme held to mark World Population Day at the Government First Grade College for Women, Hassan, jointly organised by the college and the Hassan unit of the Red Cross, on Thursday. The event was inaugurated by Hassan Superintendent of Police Shubhanwita. Hassan Red Cross Society president Hemmige Mohan and college faculty were present.Addressing the students, the seer said everybody these days was calling themselves a leftist, but leftists were, in fact, the “most dangerous” people. He said he had closely observed around eight leftists and arrived at this conclusion based on his observation. “They always think about their own betterment, but in their speeches they maintain that they are working for the welfare of everyone,” he said.The seer said he had studied psychology, economics and criminology, and held a PhD in economics, and that this background allowed him to analyse people and understand what leftists were doing. He said leftists hardly did anything good, and were engaged in what he called “benki hachchuva kelasa” — provoking unrest — and insulting the nation.Condemning the remarks, Mr. Kumar said leftists included progressive, secular and pro-democracy people who upheld the Constitution, as well as those working for Dalits, farmers, workers, women, and human rights. He said leftists were not selfish people but had sacrificed their lives for the betterment of the downtrodden and had fought for justice of the working class, including the fight against untouchability, casteism, communalism, corruption and the exploitation of women in the Indian context. He said the Left had always stood at the forefront of opposing anti-people policies.The CPI(M) also noted that the seer, a former Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer, had resigned from government service to become a seer, and asked whether he had ever raised his voice against Central or State government policies that went against the interests of the Shudra and working-class communities the mutt represents. Published - August 28, 2026 08:19 pm IST
