Bengaluru: Water resources minister an Congress leader DK Shivakumar has kicked up a storm by saying that it was a mistake for the previous state government to grant the Lingayat’s a separate religion tag. His statement has drawn mixed responses, most of them, criticisms, especially from his own party members.
Distancing the party from the minister’s remarks, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Dinesh Gundu Rao said that DHShi’s statement reflected his personal views and not that of the party. “The party has no opinion on the issue. It concerns the community and the government,” he said.
As DKShi was a minister in the previous government, he was part of the meetings where the decision on the Lingayat issue was taken. His apology has come as a shock and angered the leaders of the Lingayat community as, during the meetings, the minister did not put forth any differing opinions on the issue.
