BENGALURU: The Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Sunday asked its community members, Veerashaiva-Lingayats, to mark the religion under the “others” column in the Socio Educational Survey-2025 (caste census) to be conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission from September 22.
The religion column in the survey will have options like the Hindu, Islam, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, Atheist, Not Known, Refused to Disclose and Others (specify). Marking their religion under the “others” column will revive the community’s demand for a separate religion status.
“There is no relationship between Sanatana Hindu and Veerashaiva-Lingayat religions. Members of our community should enrol as a separate religion which the Mahasabha has been proposing for a long time. In the sub-caste column, you can mention accordingly,” said Mahasabha General Secretary Eshwar Khandre, who is also forest minister, at a joint press conference.
“Everyone should participate in the Social and Educational Survey and write ‘Veerashaiva Lingayat’ in the ‘Others’ column under religion and as ‘Lingayat’ or ‘Veerashaiva’ or ‘Veerashaiva Lingayat’ in the caste column. They should confirm and write the code number of the sub-caste to which they belong in the sub-caste column,” he said.
He suggested that the community members should clearly provide the information related to their family to the enumerators.
‘Separate religion yet to be officially recognised’
“If the government gets accurate information about the educational, social and economic condition of the people, it will be able to formulate programmes for the welfare of all,” Minister Eshwar Khandre said.
He further clarified that the caste certificate issued for reservation has nothing to do with the information given during the survey. “The caste certificate is issued after reviewing the caste, school registration and other records. In the survey, everyone should write their caste that will reveal the real number of our community,” he added.
Shankar Bidari, a retired IPS officer and president of the Mahasabha state unit, said that in the previous surveys, Veerashaivas and Lingayats were considered as a caste.
“A separate religion has not been officially recognised and that needs to be considered. There are backward, very backward and extremely backward people in our community”, he said.
Shankar Bidari appealed to the government to evaluate the backwardness of those in the community and appropriately classify the poor and extremely poor.
Mahasabha Secretary HM Renuka Prasanna, vice-president BS Sachidananda Murthy, National Women president Veena Kashappanavar, state unit General Secretary Nataraja Sagaranahalli and other office-bearers were present on the occasion.