Bengaluru, Aug 3: The stand-off continued between the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha and Lingayat community members who claim Lingayat dharma is different from Veerashaiva.
The Mahasabha on Wednesday stuck to its stand that Veerashaivas and Lingayats are one and the same and that separate religion status should be given for Veerashaiva-Lingayat dharma. Executive committee of the Mahasabha passed a resolution to this effect.
Senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa is the Mahasabha president, while Municipal Administration Minister Eshwar Khandre is its secretary general.
On the contrary, Water Resources Minister M B Patil, who is among the prominent leaders who are claiming Lingayat dharma is different from Veerashaiva, said that he is ready to face any consequence or make any sacrifice till his aim of getting separate religion tag for Lingayat dharma is achieved.
“Basavanna (12th century social reformer) founded the Lingayat religion 800 years back. What it requires is only a constitutional recognition,” Patil said and suggested that the Mahasabha must come to a conclusion only after a comprehensive discussion involving scholars and seers of various community mutts.
“Let there not be a street fight... Let us all sit together and discuss the issue,” Patil added.
Briefing reporters on decisions taken by the Mahasabha, Shamanur said the Mahasabha was formed 110 years ago. Confusion regarding Veerashaivas and Lingayats is only a fortnight-old. The Mahasabha will hold a meeting with all those who are talking of separation and will take everybody along, he added.
Veerashaivas and Lingayats are like two sides of the same coin. It was the Mahasabha that first demanded separate religion status for the dharma. The Mahasabha will work towards a consensus on the issue and will soon recommend to the Centre granting separate religion status to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat dharma, Khandre said.
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Comments
Why do they want separate religion status? Therein lies the problem! Do they want it for the sake of Dharma, or is there any Adharmic plan behind the demand? Most probably the latter. Most of such divisions are caused over money, property and similar matters of greed, in the name of religion. If no money were involved, the parties concerned would not waste time bickering with each other! That is the simple and honest truth. The followers of either religion should reject the calls for violence by crooked leaders.
lol new dirty tricks played by congis to divide Hindus
it is better to make them separate religion, and drive away from any reservation they are enjoying in Andhra and TG area since their's is egalitarian society
Veerashaivas and Lingayats don't want to be known as Hindus ? Many Dravidians say that they are not Hindus.
I think Shiva and Linga are Hindu icons/motifs/God. If Shiva followers feel they are not hindus, it is strange. Also, Basavanna is a avatar of Nandi, Shiva's prime devotee. And to say that Basava is NOT a HINDU is strange. I can understand that they want a identity, but to claim that they are not hindus is....wrong.
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