KTK to recommend religious minority tag to Lingayat,

In a decision fraught with political implications in poll-bound Karnataka, the state cabinet today decided to recommend to the Centre grant of religious minority tag for the numerically strong Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.

The meeting considered the recommendations of the Karnataka State Minority Commission amid reports of division among ministers and discordant notes from seers of the community on the issue.

Lingayats/Veerashaivas, estimated to form 17 per cent of the state population, are considered the BJP's traditional voter base.

The move is seen as an attempt by chief minister Siddaramaiah to wean away a section of them towards the Congress, though the BJP maintains it would backfire badly.

"After due deliberations and some discussions onconcerns of various sections of society, the cabinet has decided to accept the recommendations of the Karnataka State Minority Commission," Law Minister T B Jayachandra said.

He said the commission, based on the report of an expert committee, has recommended considering grant of recognition as religious minority to the Linagayat and Veerashaiva Lingayats (Believers of Basava Tatva (philosophy) under section 2 (d) of the Karnataka State Minorities Act.

"It was also decided to forward the same to the central government for notifying under Section 2(c) of the Central Minority Commission Act," he told reporters.

A divided house, the cabinet has finally come to a decision on the issue after deferring it at least twice.

The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numerically strong and politically influential community, amid resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same.

One section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has asserted that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same and religious status be given to them.

The other group wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaivas are one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part ofHinduism.

Of late, some Lingayats have also stated that theywere open to having the Veerashaivas under their umbrella, but that Lingayat nomenclature was non-negotiable.

The KSMC had formed a seven-member committee, headed by retired high court Judge H N Nagamohan Das in December last year that submitted its report on March 2.

The committee in its report has said "Lingayats in Karnataka may be considered as religious minority."
Asked about the nomenclature - whether the recommendation will be Lingayat or Veerashaiva Lingayat - Jayachandra said, "....the cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the Nagamohan Das committee."
However, Jayachandra rubbished it and said "it was a unanimous decision; there is no question of opposition."
Slamming the decision, Opposition BJP leader in the assembly Jagadish Shettar said the Siddaramaiah government was dividing the society for the sake of politics, keeping the election in mind and accused it of "igniting fire."