Will wage a religious war, warns Rambhapuri seer

Hubballi: A religious war will be waged if the Congress government chose to recommend the granting of minority religion status to Lingayats, warned Rambhapuri Mutt seer Prasanna Renuka Veerasomeshwar Shivacharya Swami on Monday.

“We’ve clarified our stand that Veerashaiva and Lingayat are one and the same. Members of the expert panel, headed by retired high court judge H N Nagamohan Das, have identified with Lingayat faith. About 95 % of the people have rejected the proposal to accord the status of independent religion to Lingayat faith,” said the seer speaking to the press.

He claimed, “The Congress party will surely suffer in the forthcoming Assembly elections if it accepts the recommendations of the expert panel. There is a greater responsibility on the shoulder of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and he shouldn’t yield to the pressure of a handful of pontiffs.”