POLITICALLY, Vokkaliga is one of the strong communities in Karnataka though it is around 9 per cent of the total population. It has produced five chief ministers and a prime minister so far. But in recent years, this community has been losing its political control if one goes by the figures available.
In the Constituent Assembly and the Council together in the Princely State of Mysore, which was spread in Vokkaliga dominated areas, more than 50 per cent of the members were from that community.
They either got elected directly or got nominated for being regular taxpayers.
Now, in the 225-member Legislative Assembly, the number of Vokkaliga MLAs has been decreasing election after election. This decline is the direct result of the reducing influence of the community in the state politics.
Vokkaliga community, with its over 20 sub-sects, is spread in Hassan, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Mysore, Kolar, Tumkur, Bangalore, Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Dharwad, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Bellary, Raichur, Chikballapur, Uttara Kannada and undivided Dakshina Kannada districts. The main profession of Vokkaliga community is agriculture although different sects changed occupations depending on the need in the area.
A community can remain strong in a state only when it has concentration in certain pockets, has leaders with commendable influence over each pocket, good interaction, mostly through marriages, between different pockets (or sub-sects or regions) and when it follows strong religious following. But Vokkaliga community has been losing its strength on all these counts.
Two predominant communities in Karnataka have received a jolt due to urbanisation and education. Brahmins willingly accepted impact of both these factors because this community, which enjoyed control over the society for centuries, felt marginalised after the concept of social justice became a reality in post-independence India. It also suffered a serious jolt when the Land Reforms Act was introduced.
However, Vokkaligas, though escaped the clutches of LR Act, have fallen prey to other two factors unknowingly.
For instance, in and around Bangalore Vokkaligas changed their profession from agriculture to real estate. Mysore is following the same way now. This change in profession and higher education forced them to cross their traditional regional barriers and migrate to different areas.
Bangalore and surrounding areas no longer remain strongholds of Vokkaligas.
Each community has its own story about its origin and settlement. For instance Lingayats across the state, even outside, claim that their origin begins with either the 12th century social reformers Basavanna, Allama Prabhu and others or at some earlier period with the beginning of Pancha Peethas. Lingayat sub-sects from any part of the state to the other can have marriage other relations with other sub-sects. Vokkaliga community is, however, spread as sub-sects in different districts and is called by different names. These sub-sects have different origins and reasons to settle in their particular area.
They are still reluctant to have marriages between two sub-sects. This peculiar practice has reflected on their unity. The community does not have a common leader. Former PM Deve Gowda projected himself as the community leader. But he lost control over the community when he started imposing over the community his sons as leaders.
Although Adichunchanagiri Mutt is projected as the only religious centre for the community it has failed to make inroads into many sub-sects of the community. In fact, according to the elderly people in the community, for the Vokkaligas in Malnad and coastal region, Kadri Jogi Mutt in Mangalore and Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur were the religious centres. When the Vokkaligas in Tirthahalli taluk, Shimoga district decided to convert to Christianity in the late 19th and early 20th century, people against the conversion approached the Siddaganga Seer and not the Adichunchanagiri seer.
The then Siddaganga seer came all the way to the remote villages to convince people against converting. Adichunchanagiri Mutt is a recent entry.
Moreover, the Vokkaligas of Malnad and coastal regions are basically nature worshippers while those in other regions are idol worshippers. Those who do not follow Adichunchanagiri Mutt have left their original mutts and have not developed affinity towards Adichunchanagiri Mutt.
These inherent socio-economic-religious differences have been making the sub-sects among the Vokkaligas drift away from each other, year after year. It won’t be surprising, if Vokkaliga community loses its complete control over the state politics after a decade from now, if the present situation continues further.
arun@expressbuzz.com