Congress dares Modi-Shah to clear stand on Lingayats as separate religion

Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, the Karnataka cabinet on Monday agreed to consider the Hindu sect of Lingayats as a separate religion, state Law Minister TB Jayachandra said.

"Based on the recommendations of Karnataka State Minorities Commission, the state cabinet has unanimously decided to grant status of religious minority to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats (believers of 12th century social reformer Basava's ideologies),"
Jayachandra told media in Bengaluru after the cabinet meeting.

The state cabinet has also decided to forward the commission's recommendations to the Central government for approval and notification under the National Commission for Minorities Act, he said.

"The minority status has been granted on the Commission's view that a proper recognition is to be given to the Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats, on condition that the recognition would not affect the rights of other minorities in the state," Jayachandra said.

The Lingayat sect, which believes in worshipping Shiva as the universal god, say they were founded by Basava.

Defending the Karnataka government’s decision, head of Congress Communications Randeep Surjewala told National Herald, “We dare Modi and Shah a to clear their stand [on the issue]. If they oppose the decision, they should say so publicly.” Referring to a decision made by the then UPA 2 government, Surjewala said it was Congress government that gave religious minority status to the Jain community in 2014, before the general election.

Meanwhile, Chandrashekhar Hiremath, president of the Veerashaiva Lingayat Samanvaya Samiti, said he “strongly opposed” the state government’s decision.

ANI reported that clashes broke out between celebrating Lingayats and protesting Veerashaivas in Kalaburgi.

With IANS inputs.