BENGALURU: Even as Lingayats are celebrating the state government decision to declare Jagadguru Basavanna as the Cultural Icon of Karnataka on Thursday, it was backward classes leader and former chairman of the Backward Classes Commission Dr CS Dwaraknath who first proposed it to Siddaramaiah during the latter’s first term as chief minister eight years ago.
Late Maate Mahadevi, a woman jagadguru of Lingayat community who passed away in 2019, had petitioned the government to declare Basavanna as the cultural icon. Last month, a delegation of Lingayat religious leaders too had made a similar request to Siddarmaiah.
The government’s announcement assumes significance as Lingayats have opposed the caste census report that would give backward classes an edge.
Dwaraknath, in his letter to Siddaramaiah in 2015, had said that a sense of cultural identity is important in India and just as Chhatrapati Shivaji is the cultural icon of Maharashtra, Thiruvalluvar of Tamil Nadu, Narayana Guru of Kerala and Rabindranath Tagore of West Bengal, the state too should have a cultural icon. He had suggested Jagadguru Basavanna’s name.
Talking to TNIE, Dwaraknath said, “Basavanna is an inspiration and his ideals and message is important to this very day. His Vachanas or teachings are important for all downtrodden and depressed classes and it would not be proper for one caste or community to appropriate this great reformer exclusively for themselves. His teachings about equality is the very essence of every Kannadiga and he truly belongs to all of us Kannadigas. The first parliament Anubhava Mantapa was started by this great reformer and it is not surprising that for each and every article in the Constitution the footnotes can be provided from the timeless Vahanas of this great reformer, who recited them eight centuries ago.’’
Dwaraknath, who hails from the backward Balija community and is based in Kolar, said there is still so much to learn from Basavanna. “I have mentioned about the need to declare Basavanna as the Icon of Karnataka in my public meetings and addresses with the Most Backward Caste Community leaders, tribals and nomads and all of them supported this.’’ For the record, the Most Backward Castes account for about 56 percent of the state’s population and tribals for 3 per cent and nomads about 6-8 per cent. They all have tremendous love and respect for Basavanna and his teachings, he said. “In the backdrop of attacks against the marginalised groups and communities, Basavanna’s teachings stand out like a lighthouse in a terribly dark moonless night,’’ he added.