Minority religion tag to Lingayat notified

Bengaluru: Despite the opposition by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha and Veerashiva seers the state government on Friday issued a notice concurring minority religion status to Lingayat and Veerashaiva-Linagyat who follow the Basava tatva. 

In a nine-point resolution passed by the official panel of the Mahasabha headed by senior Congress pioneer Shamanur Shivashankarappa, it was requested that the government drop the words “Basava tatva” (standards) from its decision. Rather, the status ought to be agreed to both Lingayat Veerashaiva community, thinking about them as one and the same. 

On the opposite end, the bureau of Minorities Welfare, Haj and Wakf advised “religious minority” status to “Lingayats (adherents of Basava logic)” under section 2(d) of the Karnataka State Minorities Act, 1994. It will, in any case, happen after the Center issues a comparative notice under 2(c) of the National Commission For Minorities Act, 2005. 

Shivashankarappa says “It is unlawful to force any tatva. Henceforth, the government ought to pull back its decision (taken in March 19 State Cabinet meeting). The government should find a way to accord the status to Veerashaiva-Lingayat as suggest by the Mahasabha previously,” he included. 

The Mahasabha said the group won’t get any reservation according to the government’s choice to accord the status. The people group ought to get all advantages that minority groups like Muslims and Christians are benefiting, including education and employment. The Lingayat body additionally rubbished reports that a petition submitted by it in 2013 has been dismissed by the Center. 

The Mahasabha’s choice has proved to be useful for the BJP, driven by Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa to go up against the Congress on the disputable issue ahead of the Assembly elections. Agreeing the different minority religion status is viewed as an endeavor by the Siddaramaiah government to charm a segment of the politically influential community, according to BJP.