Karnataka to recognise Lingayats as separate religion, seek Centre’s nod

In a move that will have a bearing on the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet on Monday decided to write to the Centre to grant religious minority status to the Lingayat community. The decision came on the basis of the Nagamohan Das committee report and was taken after a lengthy cabinet meeting amid threats from Veerashaiva Lingayat seers against recommending the minority status for Lingayats alone. To overcome the dissidence, the Congress has decided to accord minority status to Lingayats, including Veerashaivas, who follow the teachings of the patron saint of the Lingayat community Basavanna. “After due deliberations and some discussion on concerns of various sections of society cabinet has decided to accept the recommendations of the state minority commission which based on the report of an expert committee headed by Justice Nagamohan Das has recommended to consider grant of recognition as religious minority to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat, believers of Basava Tattva, under Section 2(d) of the Karnataka Minorities Act. It was also decided to forward the same to the Central government for notifying under Section 2(d) of the Central Minority Commission Act,” law minister T B Jayachandra said quoting the cabinet decision. The demand for a separate religion tag and minority status has been a long pending demand of the Lingayat community. The Lingayats account for nearly 17 per cent of the state’s population. The two major factions of the community are Veerashaivas and those who want to be known only as Lingayats – followers of 12th century saint Basavanna. A state cabinet meeting was scheduled to take up the recommendation for minority status for Lingayats on March 14, but it was cancelled after differences cropped up between ministers from the Lingayat and Veerashaiva factions. While a group of Lingayat ministers in the Congress government has been at the forefront of the movement to seek a separate religion tag, another group from the Veerashaiva faction are opposed to giving the tag to Lingayats alone. If recognised as a minority religion, the Lingayats will be able to avail of benefits under Section 25, 28, 29 and 30 of the Constitution, say community leaders. A seven-member panel was constituted by Karnataka State Minorities Commission to study the demand for a separate religion status. The panel, headed by retired high court judge H N Nagamohan Das, recently recommended separate religion status for the community. The panel said, “Lingayats in Karnataka may be considered a religious minority. Veerashaivas, who consider Basavanna dharma guru, believe in vachanas as sacred text and wear Ishta Linga may be considered as Lingayats”. A group of Veerashaiva seers met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah last week and expressed resentment over the proposed move of the state government to recommend separation of Lingayats from the Hindu category of Veerashaiva Lingayats. “If you do not adhere to our request, we will launch an indefinite agitation and a decision has been taken through community leaders, seers, writers and lawyers. Do not consider this as a threat but a request from the community to protect its interests,” the seers said in a memorandum to the state government. “If the state government intends to ensure the welfare of the community, it should then declare the Veerashaiva Lingayats as a religion,” the memorandum stated. The Karnataka CM has in the past stated that he is willing to recommend the status of an independent religion for Lingayats if the demand is unanimous. The BJP has accused the Congress of attempting to divide the community for electoral gains, with BJP president Amit Shah calling the demand for a separate religion status a political game being played by the Congress.