Separate Lingayata Veerashaiva religion debate divides community

The claim for separating Lingayata as different religion is gathering strength. However it is also creating a big divide among the community. Now the entire community has been divided into two factions: those who are urging for separate religion those who are opposing it.  

Those who are saying no are arguing that it is dividing the society. Those who are supporting are saying Lingayata and Veershaiva should be declared as one separate religion. Some are of the opinion that all seers must debate and come to a conclusion and all must be committed to that decision, reported Kannada Prabha.

However, the Lingayata major mutts are not responding, adopting a wait and watch tactic.  The State Government has indirectly supported the call for declaring Lingayata as a separate religion.  It has even appointed a Lingayata Minister to collect information and public opinion. This has added fuel to the fierce debate among the Veerashaiva mutt seers and eminent personalities.

Sri Trinendra Mahantha Swami of Baby Mutt, Srirangapattana has said that both Lingayata and Veershaiva are one and the same and it should not be declared separate. Veershaiva Mahasabha and Basava Kendra have stressed that the society should not be divided in the name of religion. The government especially should not resort to such steps. All mutt seers should assemble, debate and come to a united conclusion, they say.

Only Mathe Mahadevi is saying that only Lingayata should become a separate religion. She argues that Lingayata is not a caste but a religion. The fight for declaring it as a separate religion has been existing for a long time and now has come to the forefront, she says.  

Siddaramaiah’s government has taken it seriously and is ready to recommend it to the Centre but the BJP is opposing it for political reasons.  She sees no political undertone in State Government’s decision. Many Lingayats have registered their caste as Hindu Lingayata for government benefit purposes. That should be stopped, all must come under one group as Lingayata she says.

Majority of the office bearers of Veerashaiva Mahasabha are opposing this stating long back when Mathe Mahadevi had urged the Central Government to declare Lingayata as a separate religion it was rejected. So also the proposal to declare Veerashaiva as a separate religion was rejected.  Hence this issue should be stopped and all seers must debate and come to a conclusion, he said.

State Veerashaiva Mahasabha leader Paramashivaiah said that the State Government has agreed to recommend Lingayata as a separate religion only for political reasons. It should be Veerashaiva Lingayata religion, including both the names. Only then the community will be united or else only Lingayata is declared a separate religion it will divide the community.

In fact during the NDA government there was demand to declare Veerashaiva a separate religion but the government rejected the plea. The reason given was that if one caste demands declaration as a separate religion, others would also follow and demand declaration.  Dividing the community in the names of Veerashaiva and Lingayata is the main reason why no Veerashaiva chief minister could complete full term. Siddaramaiah has agreed to recommend because he is dividing the community, he said.

Meanwhile B S Yeddyurappa has orgnaised a party at his residence in New Delhi on Wednesday of all BJP State MPs.  It is expected that the BJP leaders will debate how to counter Congress’ State Flag and Lingayata separate religion issues, it is said.

• Lingayata separate religion debate heats up
• Separate religion demand divides community
• Lingayat
• separate religion
• Karnataka