‘Include religion in caste census’: Veerashaiva-Lingayats urge Narendra Modi govt

All the subsects of Veerashaiva-Lingayat community will enumerate their caste as “Veerashaiva-Lingayat” in the upcoming caste census, to assert their unity, said a resolution passed by the two-day convention of Veerashaiva-Lingayat pontiffs led by the seers of the ‘Pancha Peetha’ of Balehonnuru, Kedara, Ujjain, Rambhapuri and Srisailam in Davangere. The summit also sought to send a delegation of Lingayat MPs to meet the prime minister seeking inclusion of a “religion" column in the upcoming caste census forms.

 

The heads of the politically dominant community, which holds sway in more than 100 out of the 224 assembly constituencies in the state, met for the first time in decades after debunking the caste survey (Kantharaj Commission report) carried out by the Karnataka government citing the survey had deflated their numbers.

 

After the Congress high command also junked the report and called for a fresh survey citing it was at least a decade old, the Siddaramaiah government has ordered a fresh survey. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that a caste census would be conducted along with the National Census 2026.

 

The Lingayat community, which is spread across southern states, is hoping to unite the hundreds of subsects. The religious leaders have now taken the onus of educating the community members about the importance of such a survey for better reservation benefits and political representation.

 

“The subsects should be included in the central OBC list, and the reservation benefits currently extended to the subsects by both the state and the Centre should continue. The All India Veerashaiava Mahasabha and other mutts should display the portrait of Jagadguru Renukaacharya in their organisations. The pontiffs of both Veerashaiva and Lingayat (Virakta) mutts should conduct annual conventions to propagate the ideals, tradition and values of the cult. Better unity and coordination among the mutts and seers to uplift the marginalised sections of the community. A plan to reach out to the Veershaiva community spread across northern India in states like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and their integration to help them secure government benefits,” stated the list of resolutions.

 

The pontiffs asserted that the Lingayat community has many subsects based on the different occupations and this should not lead to the community being fragmented.

 

The community recalled the failed attempt to break the unity through the Lingayat Movement demanding a minority religion tag by the Congress government in 2018.

 

Former MP GM Siddeshwar said the veterans, Shamanur Shivashakrappa and BS Yediyurappa, were like the two eyes of the community and deserved applause for averting the bid to divide the community.

 

Union Minister V. Somanna called for unity among the different peethas and pontiffs to help unite the subsects.

 

Reiterating the same sentiment, former chief minister and Haveri MP Basavaraj Bommai said the summit had proven the strength of the community. “There should be no discrimination or difference between the guru and Virakta mutts. This will help the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community emerge as leaders to lead humanity. We will be unstoppable if we stay united,” he said. 

India