'North dominating South' talks have no basis: Rajnath

AT a time when debates are raging over the alleged domination of North India over South on the issue of language -- some call it Hindi imposition, and the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies that is likely to affect South India negatively, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday chose to play the role of a unifier, saying the South guided North on the spiritual front on several occasions.

- DEVARAJ B HIREHALLI @Siddaganga Mutt (Tumakuru)

At the 118th birth anniversary of Sri Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt, he said, "It is unfortunate that some say the North dominates the South on many fronts. This is completely wrong. Karnataka has given a new direction to the North in the field of religion many times. One example is the debate between Acharya Mandan Mishra of Kashi and Adi Shankaracharya, which is the most famous debate in Indian culture. Shankaracharya defeated Mandan Mishra, who later became a disciple of Shankaracharya. It is a popular belief that he came to Karnataka and became Shankaracharya in Sringeri as Acharya Sureshacharya," he said.