Karnataka government agrees to grant Lingayats religious minority status

Ahead of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet on Monday gave its nod to the recommendation of a separate religion for the Lingayat community.

The Siddaramaiah government accepted the suggestions of the Nagamohan Das Committee and will now write to the Union government to grant religious minority status to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat.

“After due deliberations and some discussion on concerns of various sections of society cabinet has decided consider grant of recognition as religious minority o the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat, believers of Basava Tattva, under Section 2(d) of the Karnataka Minorities Act,” Karnataka Law Minister TB Jayachandra said.

“The government will further forward the recommendations to the Central government for notifying under Section 2(d) of the Central Minority Commission Act,” Jayachandra added.

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The decision to accord the minority status to Lingayats was taken after an hour-long cabinet meeting and will have a large bearing on the upcoming assembly polls.

Lingayats are the followers of 12th century saint Basavanna. There are two major factions of the community, the Veerashaivas and those who want to be recognised only as Lingayats.

The Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community comprises 17 per cent of Karnataka’s total population.

Last week, the Lingayats had threatened to launch an indefinite agitation if their demands were not met.

Earlier, the BJP slammed the Siddaramaiah government for “dividing the community for votes”. BJP president Amit Shah termed the community’s demand a political game by the Congress.