KALABURAGI: Ahead of assembly polls, the demand for a separate religion tag for Lingayats seems to be back. Secretary-general of Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha SM Jamdar announced at a press meet here on Wednesday that discussions will be held for framing strategies to re-launch the movement for a separate religion tag for the Lingayat community, during the first national-level Lingayat Maha Adhiveshan (National Lingayat Conference), to be held on Saturday and Sunday at Basavakalyan. A separate session would discuss the struggle to demand a separate tag.
Jamdar said the Union government has refused to accord a separate religion tag in 2018, and given some reasons. The conference would discuss the causes and submit a memorandum, and relaunch the struggle after discussing the issue at the conference over the coming weekend.
The Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha’s decision to discuss the issue of separate religion tag has disturbed the Congress, as supporting the Lingayat community’s demand had cost the party dear during the 2018 election. It is said to be one of the main reasons for the debacle of the Congress, with most of the Lingayat leaders who had contested elections facing defeat.
A few Congress leaders who contested the 2018 assembly elections and lost, declined to comment on the decision of the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha. On condition of anonymity, they said the conference is purely apolitical, and none of the political leaders was participating in it. Besides, the circumstances were different in 2018 and now, they said.
KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre, also general secretary of Akhil Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha, told TNIE that he will not comment on the decision of the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha in his capacity as Congress leader. But as Mahasabha general secretary, he said the stand of the Akhil Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha since before Independence was to accord separate religion tag to the Lingayat Veerashaiva community.
Retired High Court judge Justice Nagamohan Das will inaugurate the two-day conference at 11am on Saturday at Dr Channabasava Pattada Devaru Auditorium in Basavakalyan.
Litterateur Go. Ru. Chennabasappa, a Nadoja Award recipient, will preside over the conference. Over 40 seers of different mutts will grace the inaugural programme, including the seer of Taralabalu Shakha Brahanmatha, Sanehalli, president of Anubhava Mantapa, Basavakalyan, and peethadyaksha of Basava Dharma Peetha, Kudalasangama. Jamdar will deliver the keynote address.