Cong minister does U-turn, says he was wrong in demanding separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayat

Water Resources Minister MB Patil who had strongly advocated the cause for separate religion status for Lingayats has now gone back on his words stating that he was "wrong" in placing such a demand. In fact, Patil was one of the Lingayat leaders who had signed a petition demanding a separate religion status for Lingayats in 2013. The petition was submitted by the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha to the Central government.

Patil in his letter to Mahasabha president and Minister for Horticulture Shamanur Shivashankarappa has reportedly acknowledged that it was wrong on his part to sign the petition submitted by Mahasabha, reports Suvarna News. "I was wrong to make such a demand. After reading scripts, now I have realised that Veerashaiva and Linagayat cannot be considered as separate religion," reports Suvarna News quoting his letter.

Since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah kicked off a row over separate religion status for Lingayats, Patil, a prominent leader from the community had stated that he along with Basavaraja Rayareddy and other Lingayat ministers were planning to tour the state to gather people's opinion on independent religion status for Lingayats.

However, last week, Patil had stated that Lingayat was a separate religion like Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam. It was Basavanna who had floated Lingayat religion and the vachanas scripted by various votaries of Basavanna were the religious script of Lingayats. He had even criticised Pejawar Mutt seer Vishveshatheertha Swami who had stated that Lingayats are part of the hindu religion. Patil had stated that "Let the Udupi seer not meddle with Lingayats."

However, now his statements had further added confusion to the already chaotic campaign. Patil while speaking to the mediapersons - clarifying his stand on the letter - stated that no separate religion status can be provided to Veerashaiva-Lingayat as Veerashaivas are a part of Lingayats. So, an independent religion status should be accorded to Lingayats, he urged, reports Suvarna News. 

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