No stand on Lingayats demand for separate religion status: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday clarified that he has no stand regarding the demand for a separate religion status by the Lingayat community, even as opposition BJP alleged that an attempt was on to divide the Hindu religion and society.
The CM's statement came a day after the 'Basava Culture Campaign-2025' organised by "Lingayat Matadeeshara Okkoota" (federation of Lingayat seers), adopting resolutions at the valedictory function, which included raising awareness about religious recognition for Lingayats.
"I have no stand. The stand of the people is my stand. We will write what they (people from the Lingayat community) say their religion is, during the survey (caste census that is underway)," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Koppal in response to a question about his stand on the Lingayat community's demand for a separate religion status.
To a question on the Lingayat issue resurfacing, he said, "The issue has always remained there. Some Virakta math swamijis are demanding for it."
Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra, without naming anyone, said that the demand for a separate religion status for Lingayat has resurfaced, and the people know who are behind it.
"We need to protect the Hindu religion amid attempts to divide the religion. We need to unify the society and do justice to all communities. I don't understand why the chief minister is in such a hurry....Some forces are trying to divide the society and Hindu religion. Earlier too there were such attempts, they were not successful and in the future too they won't be successful," he said.
There has been resentment against the alleged attempts to project --Lingayats and Veerashaivas-- as different.
The Lingayat/Veerashaiva community that owes allegiance to the "social reform movement" initiated by Basaveshwara in the 12th century, has a substantial population in Karnataka, especially in the northern parts of the state.
Veerashaiva seers and the representatives of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the community, were allegedly kept out of the Sunday event, which was attended by Siddaramaiah, and ministers from Lingayat community -- M B Patil, Sharan Prakash Patil, Laxmi Hebbalkar among others.
Minister Eshwar Khandre, who is also part of the Veerashaiva Mahasabha speaking to reporters here, said, Lingayats and Veersahaivas are the same, and several stalwarts of the community, including the late Shivakumara swamiji had concluded that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are synonyms and they are not different from each other.
He said the Mahasabha will continue its demand for a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats as given to Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains.
Minister M B Patil, who is a Lingayat leader, said, "We are Indians first. Geographically, we are all Hindus. But Lingayats are a religion like other Indic religions -- Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs."
Asked about Veerashaiva Mahasabha being kept away from the Sunday's event, he said, "the event was organised by the federation of Lingayat seers and they did not invite anyone with a dual stand. They had invited those who are straight in favour of Basavanna and his philosophy."
He, however, said, "Veershaivas have now come half way by supporting the separate religion cause."
Separate religion status issue is largely believed to have cost Congress party dear in the 2018 assembly polls.
The then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government's decision to recommend to the Centre to accord 'religious minority' status on the Lingayat community had resulted in electoral losses for the party in the polls.
Along with Congress facing losses in the Lingayat-dominated constituencies, most of its leaders who were actively involved in the 'separate Lingayat religion' movement then, had suffered defeat.
The move was also seen as an attempt to divide the community itself, as a section expressed resentment over projecting Veerashaivas and Lingayats as the same.
While one section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha had demanded separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, the other group wanted it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaiva is one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
