In Karnataka, the demand for a separate Lingayat religion has created room for controversy over the Congress and BJP disagreeing on the issue.
A mammoth rally was conducted in Bidar on July 17, where Lingayats demanded a minority religion status. Following the issue, the BJP State President, B.S. Yeddyurappa stated that Lingayats are Hindus and there is no point for a separate religion.
However, a popular news channel stated that a leaked document from the year 2013 reveals Yeddyurappa’s doublespeak on the issue.
As per the report, a memorandum was sent to the former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh in the year 2013 in which the prominent Lingayat leaders had sought a separate religion status for Veerashaiva Lingayats. As a matter of fact, B.S. Yeddyurappa was one of the signatories.
This document contradicts his opposition to the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah’s declaration that he would recommend the Centre to grant separate religion status for Lingayats.
“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 Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, on July 25, resolved to support the memorandum,” the letter reportedly reads.
Mate Mahadevi who is the Head of Basava Dharma Peetha, said that the signing of the memorandum by Yeddyurappa was his religious stance and opposing it is his political stance. This is because he is the Chief Ministerial candidate of a party which strongly believes in Hindutva.
