Ahead of the crucial Assembly polls scheduled to be held in April-May, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah finds himself cornered over the Lingayat community's demand to be given the status of a separate religion. On Thursday, nearly 50 Veerashaiva pontiffs who met the chief minister demanded that the government should reject the report from an expert committee that 'favours' according separate religion status and minority tag to only Lingayats, while excluding the Veerashaivas.
“We are not happy with the report as it is tilted towards the Lingayat faction, which was well represented in the committee. The issue is serious and needs long deliberations. So, we urge the government not to make any recommendation to the Centre till the completion of the polls. If need be, the government may constitute another expert committee, with representation from both factions,” said Sri Dingaleshwara Swami of Balehosur Math, who was accompanied by 50 other pontiffs. The pontiffs warned of a massive agitation if the government went ahead with its plan to place the committee report before the Centre.
The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, for long, considered as one, is today facing an identity crisis. Siddaramaiah finds himself being accused of having 'engineered' the split of the community for electoral dividends, as Lingayats are the critical support base of the BJP.
A week after the state-appointed expert committee headed by Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das submitted its report favouring the separate religion status and minority status to Lingayats, the government is worried about a vertical split within the cabinet over the issue.
Two of his cabinet colleagues—M.B. Patil and Vinay Kulkarni who spearheaded the Lingayat agitation—are threatening to resign from the cabinet if the government does not refer the expert committee report to the Centre. But the rival faction comprising ministers Eshwar Khandre and S.S. Mallikarjuna (son of veteran Congress leader and All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa) have urged the CM to reject the report.
A cabinet meeting held last week was not only inconclusive but witnessed a shouting match between ministers belonging to the two groups. Now, both factions have threatened to resign from the cabinet if their demand is not met.
Sensing trouble, the CM put off a second cabinet meeting scheduled last Wednesday to buy time to clear the deadlock within his cabinet. According to sources, the silence of prominent and powerful Lingayat pontiffs—of Suttur Mutt in Mysuru (CM's home town) and Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur—has also vexed Siddaramaiah. A surprise meeting of BJP's Lingayat strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa with Shamanur Shankarappa has upset the Congress party, as the rift within the Congress cabinet is now wide open.
The overzealous Patil-Kulkarni duo snubbing the oldest association—Veerashaiva Mahasabha headed by Shamanur all through the agitation—and eventually petitioning the government (through the newly formed World Lingayat Mahasabha) demanding the separate religion status to only Lingayats has not gone down well with Shamanur and a majority of pontiffs who argue that Veerashaiva and Lingayat are one.
The BJP, on the other hand, is treading on the issue with caution, unwilling to upset both factions. Yeddyurappa has only reiterated that his party would not tolerate any efforts to divide the community.
The committee, which has come out with a report within two-and-a-half months, is said to have observed that Lingayats cannot be considered as a sub-sect of Hinduism. It was founded by the 12th century social reformer Basavanna. Based on the historical documents, Lingayat can be accorded minority status on the lines of Buddhism and Jainism.
In a memorandum to the chief minister, the delegation of seers stated that Veerashaiva-Lingayat was an ancient religion established by Lord Shiva, propagated through panchaacharyas (pontiffs), Basavanna and sharanas (followers).
“It has been rejuvenated by the pontiffs from time to time and has assumed a secular character as it welcomes people of every caste and creed into its fold and imparts education and culture. The recent development has not only pained us, but also diverted our attention towards safeguarding our religion. We urge the state to take a favourable decision by rejecting the report,” says the memorandum.
“Out of the 3,000 pontiffs, only a handful of them are supporting those who are conspiring to break the community. The ball is in the state government's court. We have urged the CM not to take an decision that will break the community and not accept the report. The CM comes from a socialist background and we have urged him to treat everyone as equal. If the government decides to go ahead with the recommendation, we are prepared to launch a massive agitation against the government and the Congress Party,” explained Dingaleshwara Swami.
However, S.M. Jaamdar, former bureaucrat, who is part of the Lingayat agitation, argues that the report has been exhaustive. “The committee has taken into consideration both sides of the argument and has also heard at least 21 people from the other faction (Veerashaiva). If they have failed to present facts and evidence, the panel is not to be blamed,” says Jaamdar.