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Lingayat Community
The Lingayat community, led by several of its seers, has renewed its call for a separate religion status. The demand came at the valedictory function of 'Basava Culture Campaign-2025' organised by "Lingayat Matadeeshara Okkoota". Among the five resolutions adopted at the function on Sunday are raising awareness about religious recognition for Lingayats. "All Lingayats are Indians first. Lingayat religion is the religion of Kannada. Country comes before religion. Always strive for the unity of the country with national consciousness," said the resolution. Noting that Lingayat religion is the greatest religion founded by Mahatma Basaveshwara and other Sharanas in the 12th century, it said, "Geographically, we are all Hindus. Continue to raise awareness for religious recognition so that Lingayats get government benefits and reservation facilities like Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs." Claiming that Lingayat religion is the true religion of equality, brotherhood, and human values, it said,
With the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the 'caste census,' likely to be placed before the state cabinet on January 16, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara stressed that its contents should be made public. He said, any decision based on the report is the prerogative of the government and it will be taken after analysing it. Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes under its then Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde had submitted the report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on February 29 last year, amid objections raised by certain sections of society and voices against it from within ruling Congress. "It was decided the sealed cover (of report) will be opened before the cabinet, otherwise it may lead to leakage of information....whether there will be a discussion on it or not, I cannot speak about it now, once opened at least abstract information will be known to us," Parameshwara told reporters here replying to a question. To a question on the ...
A private defamation complaint against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his comment about a Lingayat chief minister during the recent Assembly election has been dismissed by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The Special Court exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to elected former and sitting MPs/MLAs on Tuesday dismissed the complaint filed for the alleged offences under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code. The private complaint lodged by Shankar Shet and Mallaiah Hiremath alleged that Siddaramaiah had defamed the Lingayat community with his answer to a question by a journalist during the Assembly election. The Congress leader was asked if his party would make a Lingayat the Chief Minister if it came to power. Siddaramaiah allegedly replied that then incumbent CM Basavaraj Bommai was a Lingayat who had indulged in corruption and spoilt the state.
The Union Home Ministry will examine in detail the Karnataka government's recommendation to grant religious minority tag to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community as and when it receives the proposal, an official said today. The central government's reaction came a day after the Congress government in poll-bound Karnataka decided to recommend that religious minority tag be granted to the numerically strong and politically-influential Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community. The issue of granting religious minority tag to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community will be examined as and when the Home Ministry receives the proposal from the Karnataka government, a senior home ministry official said here. The Home Ministry is expected to forward the proposal to the Registrar General & Census Commissioner for a detailed examination and suggestions, another official said. The Karnataka government took the decision following a recommendation of an expert panel set up