Mysuru: Janata Dal (Secular) President H D Kumaraswamy accused the state government of creating fissures in Veerashaiva and Lingayath community to garner votes with state assembly elections round the corner.
Speaking to media in the city, HDK said, “The government has drafted 5 ministers with the task of creating a deep divide between Veerashaivas and Lingayath community in the guise of religion. Once set in motion, Lingayaths will be treated as religious minorities and the government is planning to lure them by offering benefits with elections round the corner” and warned, “The move sets a dangerous precedent as other communities too may demand religious minority status to avail government benefits.”
Certain sections including Veerashaiva Mahasabha are demanding to declare Veerashiva-Lingayath combine as one religion. Five ministers accompanied by religious heads will be touring the state next month to collect people’s opinion on the issue. Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil, Vinay Kulkarni, Dr. Basavaraj Rayareddy, Dr. Ishwar Khandre and S S Mallikarjun are assigned with the task. They are likely to submit a memorandum to the chief minister after collecting the data.
HDK sees this as an attempt is to drive a wedge between Veerashaiva and Lingayath community to garner votes, with elections round the corner.
Government raking up state flag issue along with this issue amounts to vote bank politics, HDK alleged.
It may be recalled that Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy had defended the government’ s unofficial move and said there was no need for the chief minister to play politics over the issue.
However, JDS MLC Basavaraj Horatti had stayed with the government on this issue. When newsmen quizzed HDK on Horatti’s stance, HDK said, it was his personal view and not the party’s.
He also accused the government of denying state’s farmers their share of water, while releasing it from the dams here to neighbouring states and accused the Congress government of taking them for a big ride on loan waiver.
Finally, on a lighter note, HDK asked Zamir Khan not to offer his head on a platter, in case of defeat in Chamarajpet Assembly Constituency elections and said, “victory and loss” are part and parcel of electoral politics.
