Lingayats a religious minority, says K’taka; Centre will decide

BENGALURU: Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on Monday accepted an expert committee’s recommendation, and accorded the status of a religion (a minority one) to the Lingayat sect, until now considered a part of Hinduism.

The move, which analysts see as an astute political move and opponents as an opportunistic one with an eye on the forthcoming state elections in Karnataka, acknowledges an almost fourdecade long demand by the Lingayats. Lingayats are followers of 12th-century Brahmin saint Basavanna who rebelled against Brahminism and its ritualistic practices. He attracted followers from both upper and lower castes.

After his death, his uppercaste followers, the Veerashaivas adopted many of the very customs and practices Basavanna preached against, while

the others, the Lingayats, didn’t. The hyphenated caste-grouping, Veerashaiva-Lingayat, was considered part of Hinduism. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community accounts for around 16% of Karnataka’s population.

Addressing the media, state law minister TB Jayachandra said the cabinet had discussed the issue over two days.

“After due deliberations, the cabinet has decided to accept the recommendation of the Karnataka minorities commission,

which, based on the report of an experts committee, recommended grant of recognition as a religious minority to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat under section 2(d) of the Karnataka Minorities Act,” Jayachandra said. “We will discuss the matter with the minorities commission when we consider the question of reservation, subject to the condition that such recognition would not affect the rights and interests of other minorities in the state,” he added.