BENGALURU: The BJP, which held a two-day round table meeting that concluded on Friday, has taken the stand to mention ‘Hindu’ under the ‘Religion’ column. The resolution has been taken keeping in mind Lingayats, who are among the largest communities in Karnataka.
There was confusion after the Akhila Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha urged community members to mention ‘Lingayat’ as their religion, which had not found favour among a section of people and religious heads.
Three of four former BJP chief ministers are from the Lingayat community. The party, that has strong backing of Lingayats, has been accusing the government of trying to divide the community. The resolution, that was passed on Friday, stressed that all members must take part in the caste survey conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Commission, and mention Hindu under the column Religion, and caste under the appropriate column.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, BJP State President BY Vijayendra said the State government is making an attempt to divide Hindus. “Let people mention their sub-caste, but if they are Hindus, they should mention ‘Hindu’ in the Religion column,” he said, adding that the resolution was passed for the welfare of State and country.
Vijayendra said the state government has taken up a survey of castes, though the state does not have the power to conduct it. The government has added 47 new castes, including Christian Lingayat, Christian Nekaara, Christian Schedule Caste, Christian Schedule Tribe and many more. This has created confusion among people.
He said that Siddaramaiah’s government, in his previous tenure, had initiated the Kantharaju Commission, whose report had created a debate. The BJP had opposed it, saying it was unscientific. The report was discarded only because Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had directed the government to discard it. The Siddaramaiah government had made an attempt to bring Lingayat under a new religion bracket.
Vijayendra said the NDA government has simplified GST, and people have welcomed it. With India facing many challenges globally, GST reforms had been announced, he added.