Veerashaiva Mahasabha protest religion tag for K’taka Lingayats

BENGALURU: A day after the Karnataka government decided to accord minority status to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva-lingayat communities, the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivasahankarappa said he opposed the decision because the government seemed to suggest that the sect originated with the 12th century philosopher Basavanna.

Shankarappa, a Congress leader and former minister whose son SS Mallikarjun is a cabinet minister in the current government, had welcomed the move on Monday, saying the demands of both communities had been kept in mind.

On Tuesday, addressing the media in Davanagere, about 270 km from the state capital, Shivashankarappa said clarity had come only after going through the decision once again. “The government is suggesting that the Veerashaiva sect was formed in the 12th century, which we completely oppose,” he said.

When asked about the rider in the cabinet note that those Veerashaivas who follow Basavanna’s philosophy would be considered a religious minority, Shivashankarapppa said all Veerashaivas, too, followed Basa- vanna’s teachings. “But our sect’s founder was Renukacharya and Basavanna was also one of the saints,” he said.

Shivashankarappa’s stand is especially crucial ahead of the state elections, likely to be held in May, as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa, who is a Lingayat, has said he will abide by the Mahasabha’s decision on the matter.

Speaking earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Yeddyurappa said: “I have said repeatedly that I will follow the Mahasabha’s decision. I call upon them to organise a meeting soon and discuss the matter.”