BENGALURU: Lingayat and Basava activists don’t want to remain a mere vote bank for any party, and are proposing an initiative called the ‘Basava Shakti’ convention, to build political awareness and strengthen the community.
The move comes after recent grassroots campaigns that highlighted Lingayat identity, with a long-pending demand for separate religion status along the lines of Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Activists are trying to build awareness against politicians who get elected using Lingayat votes but work against the interests of the community.
Last year, a series of Basava Samskruti Abhiyana meetings was held across the state, with an average participation of about 50,000 people in several districts. The campaign focused on 12th-century reformer Basavanna, who preached equality, rejected caste discrimination and rituals, and stressed on personal devotion through the Ishta Linga. Activists say it proved the community’s ability to mobilise at the ground level, without major funding or political backing.
However, leaders argue that mass mobilisation is not enough. Lingayat votes play a key role in about 100 Assembly constituencies, especially North Karnataka, but parties approach the community only during elections and fail to address their concerns, they claim.
The proposed convention aims to train Basava organisations to act as a non-partisan pressure group. The focus would be political education, voter awareness, engagement with elected representatives, letter campaigns and election strategies. The goal is not to enter politics but to hold all parties accountable. SM Jaamdar of Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha (JLM) told TNIE, “We support this initiative not to support any party, and remain equidistant from all. We are trying to inform people and build awareness.’’
Lingayat leader TR Chandrashekar said, “This meeting will raise awareness so our community interests are best served. We have noted with distress that many politicians, including chief ministers and legislators whom we ourselves elected, let us down by working against community interests. We had an online meeting as a forerunner to the final event which we plan to hold in early February.’’
The three main demands are formal recognition of Lingayatism as a separate religion, with Basavanna as founder and Vachanas as sacred texts; protection against derogatory remarks targeting Lingayat leaders, mutts or philosophy; fair access to socio-economic benefits. The issue remains sensitive due to internal divisions.
Groups like the JLM argue that Lingayatism is distinct from Hinduism, while organisations like the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha maintain that Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions are part of Hinduism and oppose separate status.
The debate intensified in 2025 with both the Basava Samskruti Abhiyana and counter-events like Veerashaiva-Lingayat Ekta Samavesha being held in Hubballi. Basava Shakti supporters say history shows that religious movements have often grown with political support. In today’s democracy, this means engaging carefully with elected representatives while avoiding direct party control.