3/19/2018 Karnataka Election 2018: Siddaramaiah's Karnataka government grants separate religion status to Lingayats - The Economic Times
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BY ET ONLINE | UPDATED: MAR 19, 2018, 05.33 PM IST Post a Comment
Big Change:
The end of Five-Year Plans: All you need to know
Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka govt gives separate religion
status to Lingayat community
In a significant move just months before state elections, Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka
government today granted separate religion status to Lingayat community.
Karnataka government today accepted suggestions of Nagamohan committee under
section 2D of the state Minorities Commission Act. State Cabinet has given nod to the
recommendation, now the proposal will be sent to the Centre for the final approval.
Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the decision would not affect the rights and interests
enjoyed by the existing minorities.
Karnataka State Minorities Commission had formed a seven-member committee, headed
by retired high court Judge HN Nagamohan Das on the issue which has submitted its
report on March 2 stating that "Lingayats in Karnataka may be considered as religious
minority."
The move is seen to woo voters from dominant Lingayat community, which constitutes 17
per cent of the state population. Opposition BJP's strongman BS Yeddyurappa also belongs to Lingayat community.
The Lingayat/Veerashaiva community that owes allegiance to the 12th century "social reform movement" initiated by Basaveshwara has
a substantial population in Karnataka, especially in the northern parts of the state.
The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/ Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numerically strong and politically-influential
community, amidst resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same.
While one section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva
and Lingayats are the same, the other group wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaivas one among the seven sects of
Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.
The BJP and several sections of the Hindu community have maintained a cautious stance keeping away from the move to give
Veerashaiva/Lingayat separate religion status. They have accused the Siddaramaiah government of dividing the society to draw political
mileage ahead of assembly elections due in the next couple of months.