Seers asked to get united on Lingayat religion issue

Leaders of Lingayat community in different districts in North Karnataka region, who met here on Saturday under the banner of Lingayat Swatantra Dharma Horata Vedike, resolved to submit a memorandum to the chief minister, seeking the recommendation to the Union Government for getting the constitutional status of an independent religion for Lingayatism.

The meeting chaired by MLC Basavaraj Horatti also decided to organise a massive convention of Lingayat community in coming days in Hubballi, to highlight the demand and to create awareness among the community members.  It also asked all seers of the community to come together to discuss the issue and come to a conclusion regarding the differences and confusions related to the issue, instead of giving different statements.

After the meeting, Mr Horatti told media persons that the forum would decide its next course of action after considering the decisions of a meeting to be held at Kudalasangam on August 22, and the meeting of Akhila Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha. The decision to be taken by the State-level committee in this regard would also be supported, he said.

Lingayatism has been a separate religion, and only the constitutional validity is being demanded now. It is not just about getting facilities of a minority community, he noted.

Basava scholar Ramjan Darga stated that Lingayatism is a separate non-Vedic religion like Jainism and Buddhism.

In the meeting, Mr Ramjan Darga stated that Basavanna was not a social reformer, but the founder of a new society. Lingayatism is totally an independent religion, as it shed the principles of Vedic religion. Even Guru Nanak was impressed by Vachanas, and therefore, he visited Bidar, Mr Darga noted.

As the efforts to get separate religion tag for ‘Veerashaivism’ were not fruitful, the legal status of independent religion should be now sought for ‘Lingayatism’, he added.

N G Mahadevappa stated that Lingayats do not practise Vedic rituals, but Veerashaivas do.
Former MLA M S Akki, Shankaranna Munavalli, Gururaj Hunasimarad, and others were present.