BENGALURU: Lambasting Water Resources and Medical Education Minister D K Shivakumar for his apology over Congress’ role in seeking separate religion tag for Lingayats, leaders of the Jagatika Lingayata Mahasabha said they will continue their struggle on the issue.
Speaking at a condolence meet following the death of Siddalinga Swami of Tontadarya mutt, Mahasabha general secretary S M Jamdar questioned why Shivakumar had not objected to the decision when the Siddaramaiah-led state government had referred the proposal on a separate religion tag to the central government.
“In all the three meetings regarding the issue, he did not speak. Has his consciousness woken up after seven months?” he asked.
Shivakumar, commenting on the Lingayat separate religion struggle recently, had said no government should intervene in matters of religion.
This has heightened the divisions in a fractured Congress party as former Water Resources Minister M B Patil is at the forefront of this agitation.
“The remarks of Shivakumar was welcomed by another Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa soon after, followed by BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa. It appears that there is a political conspiracy at play to prevent Lingayats from fighting for minority status,” Jamdar said.
Shivarudra Swamiji of Beli Mutt said politicians should distance themselves from the struggle for their own political futures.
“In the coming days, we will continue our struggle for our decades-old demand of a separate religion tag,” he added.
Reacting to the statements issued by the Mahasabha, minister D K Shivkumar reiterated that he stands by his comments.