Independent religion: Fresh challenge awaits Lingayat movement
The Lingayat independent religion debate has been reopened with new government firmly in place. Last government had sent a proposal to central government to grant independent religion status to Lingayat dharma which sought to free itself from being part of Hindu dharma. Though this independent dharma cry had taken centrestage in the last elections, it did not yield any major advantage to Congress. Sangh Parivar was bent upon defeating the Congress led by former CM Siddaramaiah, only to land a severe blow to the Lingayat issue.
BJP went to streets alleging Siddaramaiah was bent upon splitting the Hindu dharma. Veerashaivas who were opposed to Lingayat dharma getting an independent tag, supported BJP. But the Lingayats who saw BJP damaging their cause, didn’t have enough clarity to stand against that party. Lingayat leaders failed to convey the differences of opinion between RSS and the basics of Lingayat dharma. Some Lingayat Swamijis openly vouched their support for Congress for having initiated the process relating to independent religion, but this didn’t turn into votes. This is certainly a minor setback. Congress is not even in a state to respond to this issue right now since the Congress party is not under control of Siddaramaiah. Other leaders who are leading Congress from the front do not want to meddle with this issue since they have surrendered their senses and logic to Brahminical forces. CM HD Kumaraswamy has made his objection to the issue of independent religion pretty evident. He had lacked total understanding of Basavanna’s philosophy and had made light of ‘independent religion’ tag by mentioning even vokkaligas may seek a separate religion tag. HDK is known for his lenience towards brahminical practices and swamijis of that community. Hence he cannot be expected to do anything in this regard.
Brahminical minds have already mislead Lingayat youths against their very core rationale. RSS has realized any independent thinking Lingayat can be a danger to their ‘hindutva’ agenda. Hence the proposal sent from state to centre regarding this issue has been shelved for now. And BJP chief Amit Shah had categorically said they’d not encourage the splitting of dharma under this guise. Hence Lingayats in favor of different dharma cannot expect any encouraging response from BJP at the moment.
This is a good opportunity to convince people about the genesis of this movement. Now that this issue has nothing to do with any impending elections, unlike last time, Lingayat leaders across parties – BJP, JD(S) and Congress – have to work towards this goal. Former minister MB Patil is trying hard to find a space for himself in the new government. Looks like Congress party has planned to maintain distance from those leaders who took part in this separate dharma campaign. With no help coming by, Lingayat leaders have to carry the message of their efforts to their people, without waiting for any approval from their counterparts of party chiefs.
Lingayat is the most genuine and organic religion that was born in Karnataka. It has an independent identity. It is devoid of idolatry, temple visits and has no agents between self and god. The Lingayats do not ever rely on Brahmins or their rituals for any purpose. This was established in 12 century by Basavanna. Today when Lingayat dharma has lost its identity coming under the influence of Brahminical practices and supremacy, it is time to take Basavanna’s message to every Lingayat dharma follower and create awareness about the faith system that’s a pride of every follower. This would also be the resistance exhibited by Lingayat to Brahminical practices. For this purpose, every political reason apart, this state has to own up its religious off shoot, honouring the tradition of this land.
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US lawmakers seek clarity over financial burden, human cost, endgame in Iran conflict
Washington: Tensions rose at the US Capitol on Tuesday as lawmakers sought clearer answers from the Trump administration on the objectives, duration and costs of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, even as preparations advanced for votes aimed at curbing the president’s war powers.
Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, briefed members of the House and Senate for a second consecutive day behind closed doors, as reported by the Associated Press. The sessions came ahead of votes on war powers resolutions that would limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue joint US-Israel operations without congressional approval.
Rubio told reporters that the president acted to prevent Iran from striking first. He rejected suggestions that Washington moved only because Israel was poised to launch its own offensive, saying instead that Trump believed the weekend presented a rare opportunity to act with maximum impact. “There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trump’s watch,” Rubio said.
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The conflict has widened following US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched missile attacks targeting US military bases in the region. At least six American service personnel have died so far.
The administration has indicated that supplemental funding may be required to sustain operations. It added that the concerns among lawmakers about the financial burden and potential for a prolonged engagement has disrupted legislative business, sharpening political divisions at the start of a competitive midterm election cycle.
Associated Press cited Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s concerns about what he described as possible “mission creep.” Senator Angus King questioned whether the United States had been drawn into war at Israel’s urging, while Senator Elizabeth Warren asked how the campaign aligned with Trump’s “America First” pledge to avoid extended foreign conflicts.
Defence official Elbridge Colby told senators the president had directed the military to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, stressing that the objective was not nation-building. Trump, speaking separately from the Oval Office, dismissed claims that Israel had forced his decision and suggested the conflict could continue if necessary. He has not ruled out deploying US ground troops.
Senator Richard Blumenthal was quoted by Associated Press as saying that he feared the possibility of American boots on the ground while Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin defended the operation, saying the president had acted decisively.
Uncertainty over Iran’s future leadership has added to concerns, with questions mounting about who might succeed Khamenei as Trump rejected the idea of backing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran’s former monarchy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the future of Iran should be determined by its people and House Speaker Mike Johnson said the United States would not engage in nation-building.
Lawmakers from both parties also reported a surge in calls from constituents seeking assistance for Americans attempting to leave the region as hostilities intensify.
The US Constitution grants Congress the right to declare war, however presidents have routinely begun military activities without formal declarations. Both houses are anticipated to vote on proposals that would require explicit congressional approval to continue operations. Some members have also argued that if constraints are not imposed, Congress should consider issuing an Authorization for the Use of Military Force to put lawmakers on the record.
Associated Press quoted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioning the rationale for the campaign and saying there would be strong support among Democrats for the resolution. Johnson, however, warned that restricting the president during active combat could pose risks.
