BENGALURU: Clashes have broken out between Lingayat and Veerashaiva followers in Kalaburgi district of Karnataka.
The clash broke out at Sardar Patel circle in Gulbarga city, soon after state cabinet’s approval for recommendation of separate religion status for Lingayat community
Lingayat followers had come to celebrate , Veerashaiva followers had come to protest against the recommendation
The Karnataka government granted separate religion status to the Lingayats but not to the Veerashaivas.
Karnataka: Clashes broke out b/w #Lingayat followers & Veerashaiva followers in Kalaburagi. Lingayat followers had come to celebrate state cabinet's approval for recommendation of separate religion for Lingayat community, Veerashaiva followers had come to protest against the same pic.twitter.com/Ds5rneqQxU
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2018
Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, the Karnataka cabinet on Monday agreed to consider the Hindu sect of Lingayats as a separate religion, state Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra said.
“Based on the recommendations of Karnataka State Minorities Commission, the state cabinet has unanimously decided to grant status of religious minority to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats (believers of 12th century social reformer Basava’s ideologies),” Jayachandra told media after the cabinet meeting.
Lingayats, who worship Shiva as the universal god, and Veerashaiva Lingayats, together constitute the largest community (17 per cent) in the southern state, and their votes could influence the outcome of the upcoming state assembly polls in April-May.
The state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has decided to forward the Commission’s recommendations to the Central government for approval and notification under the National Commission for Minorities Act, the Minister said.
“The minority status has been granted on the Commission’s view that a proper recognition is to be given to the Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats, on condition that the recognition would not affect the rights of other minorities in the state,” Jayachandra said.
A separate committee under the Commission, headed by former Karnataka High Court judge, Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das, had also recommended the grant of religious minority status to the sect.