BJP calls Lingayat status ‘divide-and-rule’ attempt

The BJP is unfazed with Karnataka cabinet’s decision to recommend separate religion status for Lingayats in Karnataka, senior leaders of the party said on Monday.

The party hopes the move will boomerang on the Congress and the community will not be swayed away by the “poll gimmick” to desert its tallest leader, BS Yeddyurappa, who will become the chief minister if the BJP is voted to power. A rough estimate pegs the community’s size at about 17% of state’s population.

“Congress carrying ‘Divide and Rule’ legacy of Britishers in India ! Siddaramaiah ji is playing with fire for vote bank politics. Why Congress has done this before elections? Why they haven’t done 4 years back???” BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao wrote on Twitter.

With BSY as the party face, Lingayat voters preferred the BJP in last several elections. A division among Lingayats, after BSY walked out of the BJP in 2012 and fought the 2013 election separately, helped the Congress return to power in Karnataka.

“Siddaramaiah’s aim is to woo Lingayat voters, who may are backing the BJP after BSY’s return in 2014,” another BJP general secretary said. “We have projected BSY as our CM-candidate and hope the community will trust him more than Siddaramaiah, who is from a different caste.” Siddaramain is a Kuruba – the backward shepherd community – which is about 4-5% of state’s population.

The BJP banks on the support it draws from the mutts and other religious leaders of Lingayat community, who share different views on religious minority status. “99.9% of religious leaders do not want a separate religion status,” the second BJP leader said.

Political interference in matters of faith, the second BJP leader said, could be counterproductive for the Congress, as was the case in Punjab. “The BJP has taken a position and conveyed to community’s religious leaders that they should firm up a view and reach consensus before allowing politician to take up the matter,” third BJP office bearer said. “We have received a positive feedback from the mutts and religious leaders on this.”

NEW DELHI:

The Siddaramaiah government’s decision to recommend religious minority status for the Lingayat sect, which till now was considered part of the Hindu fold, is likely to have an impact when Karnataka votes for the new assembly in the coming weeks.

Who are the Lingayats?

The Lingayat sect traces its origins to 12th century philosopher Basavanna, who was born a Brahmin but rejected the caste and ritual-based Hindu tradition. His followers continued to be critical of Hindu practices and followed up with a series of poems — vachanas — that called for the abolition of caste and sought the betterment of women among other things. There are two sets of followers of Basavanna. One group, Veerashaivas, who consider Basavanna to be a later-day saint belonging to the Shaiva tradition, continued to follow many practices he rejected, said historian S Shettar. Why do they want a separate religion?

According to SM Jamdar, a retired IAS officer who is spearheading the demand, the Lingayats are reasserting their separate identity, which existed in the 1871 Census of India. They were subsequently classified under the Hindu religion in the 1881 Census.

Was the demand made earlier?

The sect has asked the Census of India to provide a separate code for Lingayats twice. On both occasions, in 2004 and

2013, the demand was for the recognition of the VeerashaivaLingayat sect but it was rejected. Lingayat leaders believe it was because of the use of the word Shaiva, which is part of the Shaivite tradition of Hinduism.

The latest push

The demand resurfaced in 2017 after Siddaramaiah asked the two groups to arrive at a consensus, which he said he would consider. Once the request came in, an expert committee was set up in December to look into the matter.

What were the panel recommendations?

After considering many documents, including the 1871 Census, the panel was of the view that the Lingayats were a separate religious group, a member said.

What does it mean for other minority groups?

State minister MB Patil said no benefits would be taken away from existing minority groups.

Impact on the assembly election

The Lingayats are a dominant group in the state’s northern region, which accounts for 90 of the 224 seats in the assembly. Eight of the state’s 22 chief ministers belonged to this sect, including the BJP’s current CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa. Siddaramaiah is eyeing the group for electoral gains and has made many overtures to it.