BENGALURU: A memorandum signed by BJP’s B S Yeddyurappa wanted separate religion status exposes his doublespeak on demand of delinking of Lingayatism from Hinduism.
In 2013, a memorandum dated 25 July has signatures of all prominent Lingayat MLAs and MPs of the state, including senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa demanding religious status to Lingayat community, according to a Times of India report.
“We, the undersigned people’s representatives of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Goa and other parts of the country, comprising about 4 crore people from the community, gathered on 25 July and resolved to support the memorandum,” the memorandum signed by him read.
While in 2017, State BJP chief Yeddyurappa opposed the move to give Veerashaiva-Lingayat separate religion status, saying,
“Let them say anything. There is no difference between Veerashaivas and Lingayats. The Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha will decide whether the community should have a separate religion,” he said after the rally in Bidar.
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Last week, over 2 Lakh people from the Lingayat community took to the streets demanding independent religion status by delinking Lingayatism from Hinduism.
The demand for a separate religion status gained momentum after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reportedly gave an assurance at an event organized by the Mahasabha that he was ready to recommend to the Centre to make Veerashaiva-Lingayata separate religion status if the entire community evolved a consensus.