Bengaluru: The centre does not seem to be in any mood to cater to the community’s demand of granting separate religion status to Lingayats with the BJP Chief Amit Shah talking the “Unity Mantra”. Most recently, the very old proposal for the community identifying them as separate religion got a political push from the ruling Government of Karnataka headed by the Congress Party. But the Centre does not seem to give approval as Amit Shah indicated while he addressed a gathering of Veerashaiva seers yesterday.

“We will not allow the division of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities,” Amit Shah said in Bagalkote, where he was addressing a meet over 100 Veerashaiva seers at the Shivayoga Mandir.

“We will not allow the use of religion for politics. I am not here to do politics. I am here to take your blessings,” he told them.

While speaking to reporters the party president said his party would not allow the Congress party to get away with the “conspiracy”.

The resolution passed by the Siddaramaiah government demanded the recognition of the Lingayat’s community as a separate religious minority. The move is seen as a big one by the Congress to checkmate the BJP. The saffron party gained support for years from the Lingayat community as it makes up around 17 per cent of the state’s population. The candidate proposed by the BJP for Chief Ministral post in Karnataka, BS Yeddyurappa is also from the Lingayat community.

“Many have expressed concern over the Siddaramaiah government’s resolution on Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. After four-and-a-half years, Siddaramaiah has made this move. This is nothing but a conspiracy to mislead people before the elections and stopping BS Yeddyurappa from becoming chief minister. BJP and people understand this conspiracy and will not let this happen,” Amit Shah said.

The main audience in the region was from the Veerashaiva community which is combined with the Lingayats as both groups worship Lord Shiva. The Veerashaivas do not support the cause of the Lingayat resolution.

While pressing for the their recognition as minority, the Lingayats see 12 century social reformer Basavanna as the founder of their religion and consider the Veerashaivas as separate community.

A senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar, said in the year 2013 that the Congress government at the centre had rejected the proposal by Lingayat community. “The Congress is now making it an election issue to damage Yeddyurappa’s chances. If (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi doesn’t know this, his advisors should tell him. Lingayats are part of the Veerashaiva Hindu Samaj,” Mr Kumar had said.

The 2013 proposal by the community has called for a separate “Veerashaiva-Lingayat” religion.

As the political atmosphere is turning into a religious one, with BJP trying to retain or gain power by playing the same Hindutva card and Congress too attempting to potray a soft Hindutva stance, there is seems to be a little attention on other matters relating to the governance.

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