President of Siddaganga Mutt and junior seer, Siddalinga Swami, has welcomed the decision of the State government accepting the report of Justice Nagamohan Das Committee to accord religious minority status to Lingayats.
Speaking to reporters on the mutt premises in Tumakuru on Tuesday, the seer said that the Cabinet’s decision will help the people belonging to Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community to get facilities in different fields including education. He said it is a good development that both Veerashaiva Lingayat and Lingayat have been recommended for minority status. He said “our desire is to take all the people of Veerashaiva Lingayat and Lingayat together.”
‘Hindu religion will not be affected’
Hindu religion will not be affected by granting minority status to Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat, the seer said. Hindu religion is vast and it is not possible to divide it. “Even Buddhism was a part of Hindu religion before it became a separate religion.”
The seer said that “We will not accept Hindu religion’s varnashrama and discriminating people based on castes and religions. Hence Lingayat or Veerashaiva Lingayat has to be a separate religion.” If this will provide facilities to the people of the community, we will welcome the decision of the State government. All are equal in the eyes of 12th century reformer Basavanna, he added.
