DAVANGERE: The two-day ‘Shrunga Sammelan’ of Veerashaiva Lingayat community seers which ended on Tuesday urged the community members to register themselves as ‘Veerashaiva-Lingayat’ during the national census to be held in 2026.
The heads of five peethas directed the community to register as followers of Sanatan Hindu Veerashaiva religion, irrespective of their sub-castes.
The convention adopted 12 resolutions, including appealing to the Members of Parliament from Karnataka to urge the Union Government for inclusion of ‘Veerashaiva’ in the caste column during the census.
The convention also sought OBC status for all sub-sects of Veerashaiva Lingayat religion.
The meeting has decided that in case of difficulty in using photos of all the five seers at various district, taluk and rural level programmes of the communities, the community members can use the photo of Jagadguru Renukacharya.
The meeting, in another resolution, called for educating the youth about the practices, history, and religious culture of Veerashaiva Lingayats.
Other resolutions adopted at the meeting, include launching programmes to protect the interests of the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
The convention also called for maintaining good relationship among the seers and the various mutts. It also decided to hold annual summits of the seers and Shivacharyas, and called for uniting the Veerashaiva Lingayat community living in north India.
Jagadguru of Ujjayani Saddharma Peeth Siddalinga Rajadesikendra Shivacharya Bhagwatpada, Jagadguru Bhimashankaralinga Shivacharya of Kedara Peeth, Jagadguru Dr Chandrasekhara Shivacharya Bhagwatpada of Kashi Peeth, Srishaila Mahasansthan Peeth’s Jagadguru Dr Channasiddharama Shivacharya Swamiji, Jagadguru Prasanna Renuka Veeragangadhara Rajadeshikendra Shivacharya Mahaswamiji were present at the convention.