Veerashaiva seers convey unhappiness to CM over panel report

About 20 Veerashaiva pontiffs today met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and expressed their displeasure over a government appointed expert panel's report reportedly favouring giving separate religion status and minority tag to only Lingayats while excluding Veerashaivas.

"We are unhappy with the report as it is in favour of the Lingayat faction, which was well represented in the expert committee," they told reporters after meeting Siddaramaiah at his official residence 'Krishna' here.

The seers urged the government not to make any recommendation to the central government until the completion of assembly elections in the state.

"The issue is serious and needs long deliberations.So, we urge the government not to make any recommendation to the Centre till the completion of the polls," Sri Dingaleshwara Swami of Balehosur Math said.

He said of 3,000 pontiffs, only a handful were supporting those "who are conspiring to break the community."
"The ball is in the state government's court. We have urged the chief minister not to take any decision that will break the community and not to accept the report."