BENGALURU: Over 50 Lingayat organisations and pontiffs of several mutts have united in fierce opposition to the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha’s directive to register as “Veerashaiva Lingayat” in the upcoming caste census, labelling it as a misleading ploy to undermine Lingayat identity. Addressing reporters, leaders from groups such as the Lingayat Mathadheesha Federation, Global Lingayat Mahasabha, and National Basava Dal condemned the Mahasabha’s stance as “unfounded, ideologically flawed, and logically untenable”.
“We reject this attempt to confuse innocent Lingayats,” said Global Lingayat Mahasabha general secretary SM Jamadar. He urged all Lingayats to register solely as “Lingayat” in the census, emphasising that Veerashaiva is just one of 101 sub-castes within the broader Lingayat community. “Veerashaiva is part of Lingayat, but Lingayat is not part of Veerashaiva,” Jamadar clarified, announcing plans to distribute lakhs of pamphlets across Karnataka to raise awareness.
The controversy traces back to 2002, when caste certificates began listing Lingayats as “Veerashaiva Lingayat”, following alleged lobbying by the then Mahasabha president Bhimanna Khandre and former DCM late MP Prakash. Critics claim that this change, enacted without evidence during the computerisation of caste records, was a deliberate power move. RTI responses later confirmed that the government had “no basis” for the alteration, according to Mysuru district president of the Global Lingayat Mahasabha, Mahadevappa S.
The issue is now in the courts, with writ petitions challenging the government’s order under review in the High Court. Lingayat groups, backed by public interest litigation, expect a ruling within months. They also pointed out that even prominent Veerashaiva Mahasabha figures, including Raghupathi Shri and minister Eshwar Khandre, hold certificates listing them as “Lingayat”.
The dispute echoes a 1956 Lok Sabha debate, where a proposal to merge “Veerashaiva” and “Lingayat” in the Hindu Succession Bill was rejected, cementing their legal distinction.
Lingayat organisations have vowed to continue their fight, accusing the Veerashaiva Mahasabha of a decades-long campaign to dominate the community’s identity.