Senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa hits out at Siddaramaiah over Lingayat issue
Bengaluru, July 28: Veteran Karnataka Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa on Sunday asserted Veerashaivas and Lingayats are two faces of the same coin and hit out at his party colleague and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing him of having tried to divide the community in the past.
He was reacting to Siddaramaiah's statement on Saturday that 'Basava Dharma' was an independent religion, which is neither inside nor outside of Hinduism.
"... let's not discuss those issues, we have been saying same thing since beginning that Veerashaiva and Lingayat are one, two faces of the same coin, we are following it," Shivashankarappa, also the President of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, said.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "let's not try to break it, we are all united."
Responding to a question about Siddaramaiah's remarks, he said, "is Siddaramaiah a Lingayat? He has given his opinion, what can I do with it? He tried to divide it, but sidetracked as he could not..."
The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community that owes allegiance to the 12th century "social reform movement" initiated by Basaveshwara and has a substantial population in Karnataka, especially in the northern parts, has sided with the BJP.
The community was a divided house ahead of the2018 assembly polls amid a move by the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah to accord "religious minority" status to the Lingayat faith.
The demand for a separate religion tag toVeerashaiva-Lingayat faiths had surfaced from the numerically strong and politically influential community, amid resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same.
While, one section led by Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha had asserted that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same and religious status be given to them, the other group wanted it only for Lingayats as they believe Veerashaivas are one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.
Veerashaiva-Lingayats are estimated to form 17 per cent of the state's population and considered to have a significant presence in about 140 out of total 224 assembly constituencies in the state and are decisive in about 90 seats.
The separate religion tag move was said to be one of the reasons for the Congress’ set back with respect to the community during the assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
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Kolhapur’s Saee Jadhav becomes first woman Territorial Army officer to pass out of IMA
Pune (PTI): Saee Jadhav from Maharashtra’s Kolhapur has become the first woman Territorial Army officer to complete pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, breaking the institution’s 93-year-old tradition of male-only officer training.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis congratulated her and said her achievement is an inspiring milestone that gives direction to the dreams of countless young girls across the country.
Jadhav, 23, was commissioned as a Lieutenant during the Passing Out Parade of the 157th course held last week, marking a historic milestone for the IMA, which was established in 1932 and has since produced generations of Army officers.
She was commissioned into the services on December 13 during the commissioning ceremony at IMA, Dehradun.
Speaking to PTI, Saee’s father Sandip Jadhav, a serving major with the Territorial Army, said that Saee has been commissioned into the 130 Territorial Army (ecological ) battalion of Kumaon Regiment at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.
Saee is currently pursuing her MBA through distance learning, he said.
“While pursuing her MBA, she was also preparing for competitive exams and TA (Territorial Army). She appeared for the exam in December 2023. There was only one vacancy for a woman officer in TA and since her rank was at the top in merit, she was selected,” said Major Jadhav.
“She is now commissioned into 130 Infantry Battalion (TA) of Kumaon Regiment at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand,” he said.
Jadhav said her daughter was inclined to join the armed forces, given the family’s armed forces background. “As parents, we feel proud that our daughter followed her dream and chose to serve the nation,” he added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also congratulated “Marathi Mulgi” Saee.
“She has created history by becoming first woman officer cadet to pass out of IMA in 93 years… It is a matter of immense pride that this honour has gone to a Marathi Mulgi!,” he wrote in a post on X.
“This is not just an individual success story, but an inspiring milestone that gives direction to the dreams of countless young girls across the country. Educated and brought up in Belgaum and originally from Kolhapur, Sai represents the 4th generation of the Jadhav family to carry forward the legacy of service to the nation,” he added.
