Karnataka: Congress ministers to survey Lingayat religion demand

The state minister for higher education, Basavaraj Rayareddi, a Lingayat, announced on Monday that he and four other Lingayat ministers would travel across the state to gauge the opinion of the community. “We will conduct a survey and based on the response, we will ask the CM to make the recommendation.” There is, however, a perception in the state government that the move could be a risky one since the more influential Veerashaiva Lingayats are under the control of a few powerful mutts, such as Suttur Mutt, Siddaganga Mutt and Murugha Mutt, while the demand for a separate religious identity has come from mutts not considered powerful within the community.

State BJP chief Yeddyurappa, who enjoys support in the community, has opposed the demand. “Let them say anything. There is no difference between Veerashaivas and Lingayats. The Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha will decide whether the community should have a separate religion,” he said after the rally in Bidar.

Rayareddi countered Yeddyurappa, saying he had lost his Lingayat roots by aligning with RSS and BJP. “The Lingayat philosophy is progressive and scientific. Mr Yeddyurappa is an RSS leader, not a leader of the Lingayats.”

Lingayat leaders cutting across party lines admit that there is a division in the community over the demand for separate-religion status. Sources in the Congress said that veteran Lingayat leaders in the party like Bheemana Khandre and Shamanur Shivashankarappa are cagey about breaking ranks with the powerful mutts, although their sons Eshwar Khandre and S S Mallikarjun are among the five Lingayat ministers who will survey the community’s views.