Bengaluru: The State Cabinet on Monday, March 19 granted separate religion status for the Lingayat community. The Cabinet has now sent the proposal to the Centre for final approval.
The State Cabinet has accepted suggestions of the Nagamohan committee under Section 2D of the state Minorities Commission Act.
Karnataka State Minorities Commission had formed a seven-member committee, headed by retired high court Judge H N 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 constitute 17% of the state population. Opposition BJP’s strongman B S Yeddyurappa belongs 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.
