Congress dares Amit Shah, Yeddyurappa to clarify their position on Lingayats


New Delhi, Mar 19 (IANS): Daring BJP President Amit Shah and party's Karnataka Chief Ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyuruppa to clarify their position on the Lingayats, Congress on Monday said Karnataka cabinet's decision of granting status of religious minority to the sect should not be seen as a "political move".

"It is inappropriate to link the decision of Karnataka Government vis-a-vis declaration of Lingayat Samaj as a minority community to the political processes," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.

He noted that the Jain Community had for years had made a similar demand, and the then UPA government had got the demand of the community examined, following due process.

"Many people objected and said Jain Samaj is part of Aggarwal Samaj and that is why should not be separately branded as such or included in the minority community.

"After examination of all the evidences available and the historical facts, the then UPA government came to a conclusion that Jain community has to be part of the minority community," he added.

He said when Lingayat Samaj raised the similar demand, the Karnataka government followed due process.

"It got the entire evidence, facts and claims examined. Counter-claims were also received and they too were examined.

"The government in its wisdom in adherence to the demand of the community and based on the facts has decided to include the Lingayat Samaj as part of the minority community, so that the benefits that extend to the minority community can also be extended to them," he added.

Surjewala asked Amit Shah and Yeddyuruppa to clarify if they supported or opposed the decision.

In a bid to woo the Lingayats, a dominant community in the state, ahead of the assembly elections, the Karnataka cabinet on Monday decided to grant them the status of a separate religion.

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Vineet, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Dear Dirty Politicians,
    Please talk about uniting people from all sections and equal development of them rather than indulging in dividing people. Religions can not be created and approved by political parties/Govt. But comes through its own history.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Bangalore/Katapadi

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    If BJP would have done this,they would have claimed it as reform

    DisAgree [11] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • bharath1953, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    SC - 1.08 crore (18%)
    Muslim - 75 lakh (12.5%)
    Lingayats - 59 Lakh (9.8%)
    Vokkaligas - 49lakh (8.16%)
    Kurubas - 43lakh (7.1%)
    ST - 42lakh (7%)
    Brahmins - 13lakh (2.1%)
    Edigas - 14lakh (2.2%)
    Congress should confer minority status to Brahmin Community and confer Majority community status to SC. That is what the Karnataka Governments figure speaks about.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Bharath,

    You ensure that the spiritualistic services - whether managing a temple, performing pooja or accomplishing veda-based studies - are permitted to be carried out by every Hindu (irrespective of caste), that day Brahmins will flourish. In count and facilities. Its the resentment of those whom the upper strata prohibits access to the above services is what hinders their humanistic prosperity. They have brought poverty to themselves by not willing to change in passing decades whereas people belonging to reaming caste have outnumbered them for obvious reasons.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • MN, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Dirty game. BJP should walk the talk and take bold stand by opposing the move, even they lose in Karnataka this time.
    Otherwise there will be no difference between the two.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • SURAJ, Mumbai - manglore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Does Congress not have any development agenda to contest an election? They simply resort to their one and only, age old formula of divide and rule or draw caste lines to get votes. Sadly, time and again Indians fall for these election gimmicks of reservations and freebees.

    DisAgree [33] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Suraj,

    If you are a BJP supporter, you should forget questioning Congress' agenda to win/or lose election because it actually your right to question BJP itself. Question where is the solution for you unemployment, where is 'Make in India' (that Engineers from Kuwait may return), where is '15 L per person' and more.

    Question yourself if you received what was promised to you in 2014 and whether you continue your loyalty with the party.

    DisAgree [18] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Declan, Mumbai

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Great effort/initiative by the Congress led Karnataka government to fight for INCLUSIVE INDIA in giving a voice to the minority/marginalized sections of society by recognizing the legitimate demands of the Lingayat Community.

    DisAgree [18] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Declan, Mumbai

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    If Modi and Amit Shah had done a similar thing BJPians would be jumping all over saying Modi-Chanakya masterstroke but because the Congress party has taken the initiative for the cause of Lingayats, BJP are crying like losers.
    By the way Congress CM Siddu's master stroke indeed ! This man is a smart, sensible politician.

    DisAgree [14] Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Lingayats are now Minority ....

    DisAgree [5] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • Declan, Mumbai

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Yeddy must be happy.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • RK, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    How many left in majority... next vakkaligas will demand same. .. after that some one else. ..

    DisAgree [3] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • SURAJ, Mumbai - manglore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Minority lingayats. Hahaha.... Next will be minority Brahmins. Hehehe....

    DisAgree [5] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • William DSouza, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    GLOBAL AWARD WINNER : THE COUNTRY WHICH FALLEN WITHIN 4 YEARS FROM RICH TO POOR. THE AWARD GOES TO INDIAN GOVT. WITHIN 4 YEARS, INDIA FALLEN FROM 3RD RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO 6TH RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. CONGRATULATIONS INDIA.... WAH ! WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT....!!! ALL JUMBLAs..... BUT NOTHING ELSE....

    DESTROYED THE INDIAN ECONOMY AND THE WHOLE BANKING SYSTEM....

    DisAgree [13] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • j.anata, Mangaluru / Bengaluru

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    On Sunday, Rahul said, "they divide, we unite".
    Today, Congress divides Hindus by claiming Lingayats to be different from Hindus.
    Double standards really

    DisAgree [28] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • jeevan, kudla

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Britishers divided Hindus and muslin to rule / loot India and now khangress divide Hindus for vote bank politics.

    DisAgree [27] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • jeevan, kudla

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Why Amith or Teddy ???
    Tum logo ghandaki kiya hum logo kyo saap karo.
    Pappu / Italian waitress ko bulavo saap karo.

    DisAgree [21] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Jeevan,

    Its the worship discrimination that made the rebel. A particular upper section of the Hindu society did not let certain works to be done by others. They wanted to be the worshipers and the remaining part of the society to follow/listen to them. This angered people - Kanakana Kindi is one example of this.

    Also example is lead by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar when he took thousands members of Mahar community to accept Buddhism as their religion. Lingayaths were lead by Basavanna to break away from main Hindu society. Pity that the Lingayaths were struggling to be identified by their caste on records, so far they were just name-sake caste.

    I am happy that the government has given them the right to register their existence. I would have been happy if Yeddy Govt had done this. There is no Congress, Sonia or Rahul - its done by the government of Karnataka.

    DisAgree [12] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Amit Shah & Yeddyurappa only understand the language of Money ...

    DisAgree [10] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Before her murder Gauri Lankesh wrote her last English article about it.
    Who are Lingayats?
    Lingayat are followers of Basavanna and Sharanas. 12th century reformer who rejected discrimination based on caste and gender. Original follower of Basavana reject Vedas, Shastras, Smriti, Upanishad, iskcon temple, idol worship, they rejected the phallic symbol of Shiva and opted for 'Ishta Linga' which represented inner consequences.
    This is the reasons for eight decades Lingayat to be considered as separate from Hinduism.
    Who are Veerashaiva?
    Veerashaivism is an order of of Shiva faith. It accepts Vedas and practices caste and gender discrimination.
    Who mixed up these two streams of faiths?
    Basavana movement combinated in all the Sharnas writers and thinkers are hounded out of Bijjal Kingdom. Bijjala is the ruler in 12th century of northern Karnataka and parts of what is now Maharashtra. In that process much of Sharna's literature is destroyed and some of them are hidden.

    Panchacharya are the founder of the five religious center of the Veerashaivas. The Panchacharya propagated that since Lingayat also worshipped Shiva they were also Veerashaivas. They also claim that Basavana was initiated into the Lingayat religion by the Veerashaiva gurus. No historical evidence support that theory. Scholars like M.M. Kalburgi helped people realise difference between Lingayat and Veerashaivas. And also how different Lingayatism is from Hinduism.
    In August 2017 Lingayat Samaj demanded minority status for their community. In this debate it is only flag bearer of Hindutva brigade such as B.S. Yeddyurappa who are caught between a rock and hard place. If they support the demand for separate religion for 'Lingayatism' they will be denouncing Hinduism and Hindutva.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shailesh, Kasaragod

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    This yet another nasty decision by congress. This will have retrospective effect in election. Such a cunning, coward, shameless move by this stinking party.
    I hate congress for trying to divide Hindus for the sale of electoral benefits.
    Have u anytime spoken about development? Corruption and appeasement politics will dig your graves. Hindus will hate u forever one day

    DisAgree [29] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Shailesh,

    If you are originally from Kasargod, the developments in Karnataka should no bother you. However, if you are a Kannadiga, living in Kasargod for some reason, welcome to comment. I say this because Hindus in Kerala are a step ahead, leaders in eating Beef that is forbidden in Hinduism. When you dare the nation by consuming what is forbidden, you must be happy that Lingayaths dares the nation by registering their group as a separate caste.

    However, Hindu religion as a whole has nothing to loose because the Lingayaths have not converted to Islam or Christianity, they are still Hindus. I don't know why BJP is doing a big issue out of it. Probably the dictate of RSS higher caste dominate have a problems with this.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • vasu, Mangalore

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    They will be considered as a separate religion and will still be Hindus.

    May be your getting your dictate from Some where...

    Stop blaming RSS for everything..

    Politics should be kept away from religion and congress is playing a very dirty game...What is the need to take a decision now when after a long time the country is free from riots...Just trying to create problems everywhere for no reason..

    DisAgree [2] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kishore Kumar, Mangaluru

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Saying lingayats are different from Hindus itself is against Basavannas teachings.

    DisAgree [22] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Tue, Mar 20 2018

    Kishore Kumar, Mangaluru
    Sir, Justify your claim with proof. No nonsense meaningless script writing.
    Jai hind

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Congress dares Amit Shah, Yeddyurappa to clarify their position on Lingayats



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.