Women talk sense: Lingayata and Veerashaiva are two sides of the same coin
- Veerashaiva and Lingayat are the two sides of the same coin, said leaders of women’s organisations.
- Various women’s organisations of Veerashaiva and the Lingayata sects held a meeting and came to a consensus.
- There is no difference in the Linga that we worship. The little difference is only in the way we worship.
- There are no provisions for declaring separate new religion in the Constitution.
FollowVeerashaiva and Lingayat are the two sides of the same coin. We are all same. We are Indians. There is no discrimination between us - said the leaders and members of Veerashaiva - Lingayat women’s organisations, reported Kannada Prabha.
The leaders and members of various women’s organisations of Veerashaiva and the Lingayata sects held a meeting and came to a consensus that they will stick together in solidarity and not support dividing the religion. The present conflict in the religion has become a big issue but it should not create friction in the society. Veerashaiva and Lingayat are one and the same. There are no differences of opinion in that and all women stand in solidarity said D C Umadevi, president of Akkamahadevi Seva Samaja.
Leeladevi R Prasad, president of Udutadi Akkamahadevi Samiti said we are all Indians. There is no difference in the Linga that we worship. The little difference is only in the way we worship. Veerashaivas insist on grand worship whereas Lingayats believe in simple worship. Basavanna had rejected the grandness in 12th century and hence had simplified the religion. We are all one and we will not be divided she said.
The talk of separating is actually misleading the youth. There is a need for clarity of thoughts. Basavanna had introduced Ahinda several centuries ago. But today Ahinda is being used for political purposes. We will abide by the decision of Veerashaiva Mahasabha, she said.
Advocate Pramila Nesargi said in 1940 itself Veerashaiva Mahasabha had taken a definite stand and today the move to declare separate religion is unnecessarily being politicised. There are no provisions for declaring separate new religion in the Constitution. In any case the followers of Basavanna should not have greed. Some of the ministers and politicians are not real followers of Basavanna’s philosophy. Hence they have set fire to the community she said.
