RAHUL’S MASTERPLAN TO BALKANISE HINDUS?

CONG NOD TO SEPARATE RELIGIOUS TAG FOR LINGAYATS PUTS BJP IN A FIX

In a politically loaded move in poll-bound Karnataka, the Congress government has decided to recommend to the Centre that religious status be given to the numerically strong and politically-influential Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.

It has based the recommendation on the suggestion of an expert panel headed by Justice Nagamohan Das, which had asked the state to endow the community with such a status.

Lingayats are the followers of 12th Century social reformer and mystic Basavanna or Basaveshwara. A Brahmin by birth, Basavanna revolted against the Hindu caste system and founded Lingayat religion to create a casteless society. The Veerashaivas are a Shaiva sect and not considered a part of Lingayats. However, they insist that they are also Lingayats and the religion should include them, too. But some scholars argue that Veerashaivas are a part of Hinduism and not the followers of Basavanna.

The decision is likely to have huge political and social implications as the Lingayats are the most powerful community, both politically and economically. According to the leaked caste census data, they form 14% of the state’s population. They could swing away from the BJP a major chunk of their vote.

No wonder, the Cabinet decision has put the main opposition BJP in a fix. Lingayats can’t be disregarded and its chief ministerial face B S Yeddyurappa is also a Lingayat. According to a confidant of Yeddyurappa, “If we oppose the move, we might lose the support of Lingayats who are over 17% of the state’s population. If we support it, the RSS may not like it. We really need to be careful.”

The RSS is opposed to an independent religion tag for Lingayats on the ground that it will “divide” the Hindu religion. Reacting to the Cabinet decision, state BJP spokesman S Prakash said it

was an “election-time appeasement” of the Lingayats and accused the Congress of dividing the society.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the decision would not affect the rights and interests of the existing minorities.

After the seers and community leaders asked the chief minister to accord them an independent religion status, Siddaramaiah had constituted an expert committee to look into the matter. The Congress was divided over the issue and some had opposed sending a recommendation to the Centre.