Seer commends K’taka’s move on Lingayats, embarrasses Shah

PTI, BENGALURU: A prominent Lingayat seer has commended the Siddaramaiah government's decision to recommend grant of religious minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats, in an embarrassment to BJP president Amit Shah, who had termed it as an attempt to 'divide' the Hindu community. The Seer of Murugha mutt, Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, backed the government move in a memorandum submitted to Shah at Chitradurga yesterday, seeking the Centre's approval for the religious minority tag.

On a mission to connect with the pontiffs of the community, Shah had met several Lingayat/Veerashaiva seers  during his two-day visit to Karnataka, in an apparent move towards keeping the BJP's traditional Lingayat voter base intact, ahead of the May 12 assembly polls.

The pontiff said he had submitted a memorandum to Shah seeking the Centre's approval for the religious minority tag for Lingayats as recommended by the Karnataka government. He said Shah heard them patiently. The memorandum pointed out that a strong movement is going on in Karnataka by Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayats, pressing for minority status to the community.

"At the outset it appears that there is a controversy between Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat followers," but it is a "temporary outbreak of emotions" of small groups in the followers of both faiths and "it will not last long," it said.