The Centre has rejected the Karnataka government’s proposal demanding minority status to Lingayats. Following this, the Karnataka High Court on Monday disposed of a batch of Public Interest Litigations challenging the state government's move to declare Lingayats/Veerashaivas as religious minority.
While the state government was aware of the rejection of its plea on November 13, it became public only after Additional Solicitor General Prabhuling Navadgi informed it to the court on Monday while responding to a PIL filed by senior counsel G.R. Gurumath. The PIL was withdrawn after Navadgi conveyed to the court that the proposal had been rejected by the home ministry and the National Commission for Minorities, which reiterated that “Lingayatism” was only a sect of Hinduism and not an independent religion.
Incidentally, a three-day Lingayat conference was flagged off at Talkatora stadium in New Delhi on Monday, where seers and community leaders submitted a memorandum to the national minorities commission chairman Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi, demanding minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats (believers of Basava Tatva) as recommended by the Karnataka government in March.
It may be recalled that the Karnataka government had sent the proposal after a seven-member committee headed by retired High Court Judge H.N. Nagamohan Das, set up by the then Siddaramaiah government in December 2017, submitted a report on March 2, 2018 favouring a minority tag to the communities. Subsequently, the state minorities welfare department notified the Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats as religious minority on March 22, but said the notification would come into effect after the Centre’s nod. The state then forwarded the proposal to the Centre for approval and a notification under the National Commission for Minorities Act.
The proposal had resulted in a political face-off between the Congress and the BJP with the latter accusing Siddaramaiah of trying to divide the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community for electoral gains ahead of the the crucial assembly election. The tussle further led to the fragmentation of the decades-old Akhila Bharatiya Veerashiva Lingayat Mahasabha, with the Congress ministers lead by former water resources minister M.B. Patil floating the Jagathika Lingayat Mahasabha (World Lingayat Council).
Meanwhile, the minority affairs ministry placed the proposal before the registrar general and census commissioner for a detailed examination and suggestions.
The Centre’s decision will have political ramifications, too, as Lingayats and Veerashaivas constitute 17 per cent of the state’s population and can impact the electoral outcome in 100 out of 224 assembly segments. Interestingly, the community favours the BJP and has stood by its tallest leader and BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa. That is perhaps why the Karnataka BJP chose to stay neutral on the issue, while accusing the Congress government of trying to divide the community. The Centre has reiterated its earlier stand that considers Lingayatism as an integral part of Hindusim. While the Lingayat movement is said to have adversely impacted the Congress party’s poll outcome, JD(S) had dismissed the demand as “unnecessary” before polls. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, too, refused to be drawn into the sensitive issue by stating “there are far more important and pressing issues facing the state”.
“The Centre’s stand is illogical. In 1871 census, Lingayats were not part of Hindu religion and were accorded an independent status. It is not true that Lingayats and Veerashaivas, who are availing SC reservation benefits, will be deprived of it if they are accorded a separate religion status. This has been proved when Sikh and Jain community were accorded the minority tag. There is no reason for the community members to be anxious as the community leaders and religious heads will deliberate on the issue and decide on the future course of action,” said former minister and Babaleshwar MLA M.B. Patil, one of the leaders who had spearheaded the Lingayat movement.
