The All-India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, which maintains that both Veerashaiva and Lingayats are one and the same, on Sunday authorised its president to decide on adding Lingayat to its name.
A special general body meeting of the All-India Veerashaiva Mahasabha convened here on Sunday to decide on inclusion of the word Lingayat in its title through changes in the bylaws, authorised mahasabha president and former Minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa to take the decision.
Though there was no vociferous opposition to include the word Lingayat in the mahasabha name, several members expressed concern about the changes being sought around the timing, a member, who attended the meeting said. “Some members expressed concern that with the demand coming from Lingayats for separate religion tag, the decision to allow the changes may not go down well,” the member said.
Finally, the special general body authorised Mr. Shivashankarappa, who presided over the meeting, to decide on whether to add Lingayat in the name or retain the existing name.
One month’s time
Mr. Shivashankarappa, sources said, had one month’s time to take a decision on the addition of Lingayat or retain the existing name since the Registrar of Cooperative Societies has to be intimated about the decision within one month.
According to mahasabha general secretary H.M. Renuka Prasanna, a sub-committee headed by N. Thippanna had suggested renaming of mahasabha as All-India Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha over two years ago through amendments to the constitution of the mahasabha.
He said that the sub-committee itself had been formed after some 13 districts units of the mahasabha were seeking inclusion of Lingayat in the title for the last 15 years.
