KALABURAGI: Seers of various mutts and Kalaburagi district in-charge minister Sharanprakash Patil on Saturday launched an awareness rally on the eve of the mega rally of the Lingayat community on Sunday.
Preparations are in full swing at NV Grounds where the mega convention would be held from 12 pm on Sunday. The organizers expecting the participation of over 5 lakh people.
One of the organisers Sri Mahant Shivacharya Swamiji of Sulphul Mutt told reporters that over 200 pontiffs of various mutts, including seers of Gadag Tontadarya Mutt, Beli Mutt, Brahanmutt of Chitradurga, Hiremath of Bhalki, Mahant Shivayogi Swami of Ilakal and Jagadguru Maate Mahadevi would attend the convention.
Irrigation Minister M B Patil, Medical Education Minister Sharanaprakash Patil, Minister for Mines Vinay Kulkarni, Higher Education Ninister Basavaraj Rayareddy and senior JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti would participate in the convention, Shivacharya said.
Lingayats from Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts of Karnataka and from Solapur and Latur districts of Maharashtra would start coming to Kalaburagi from Sunday morning.
Mass feeding arrangements have been made at six points in different directions. The rally would commence from Lahoti Kalyan Mantap at 10 am. A memorandum would be submitted to the Union government through the Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner near Basaveshwara Circle requesting separate religion status to the Lingayat community. Later, the procession would proceed to the venue and the convention would commence.
Volunteers from the Lingayat community have visited door-todoor and invited people to attend the convention. Shivacharya criticized Veerashiva leaders of Kalaburagi and Panchacharyas for trying to misguide people of the Lingayat community. “We are not against Veerashivas, our demand is to recognize Lingayat as a separate religion,” said Shivacharya.