Bengaluru: Demand for separate religious status to Lingayat sect is gaining momentum and in this regard Lingayat religious heads are holding a convention at Jnana Jyoti hall in Bengaluru at 11 am.
Recently, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that the Lingayats and the Veerashaivas have to first sort out the confusions attached to these sects as there are some who argue that both sects are the same and some are of the opinion that they are different. Keeping this in mind, the convention on Thursday will witness a lot of deliberations on these lines.
Observers say that the demand for separate religious status for one of the most powerful castes of the state that often plays a decisive role in the state politics has already gained political colours. It is said that both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP are keen on doing as much as they can to tap the situation for political gains. While Lingayat leaders in the Siddaramaiah government have reportedly told the CM to play his cards in favour of the Lingayats, the BJP on the other hand, which already has Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa as its CM candidate is going all out to get the credit for the separate religious status for the caste, if granted.
The Congress is keen on impressing the Lingayats because it does not have a good Lingayat leader who could counter the onslaught of BSY’s influence on the community.
The ‘caste-sect’ Lingayat falls under OBC category in the state. Founded by Basaveshwara, a social reformer of 12th century, the caste has followers from various castes within Hinduism. The argument that the Lingayat/Veerashaivism is different from Hinduism has been heard several times in the past and during the 2011 census, Lingayat organisations even asked the community members to refrain from registering themselves as Hindus. But, this is the first public demand that has gathered momentum of this nature.
