Lingayat activists protest against Amit Shah on Basava Jayanti, says report

Karnataka English channel NEWS9 has reported that Lingayat activists are protesting against BJP President Amit Shah at Basaveshwara circle in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The activists, belonging to World Lingayat Mahasabha, urged Amit Shah to clarify his position on the demand for religious minority status for Lingayats. Amit Shah placed a garland on the statue of Basaveshwara at Basaveshwara Circle on the occasion of Basava Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Basaveshwara. The Lingayat sect, which believes in worshipping Shiva as the universal god, say they were founded by Basava.

Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka had accepted the demand to consider the Hindu sect of Lingayats as a separate religion. The Congress subsequently dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to clear their stand on the issue, making it clear publicly whether they support or oppose the decision.

The BJP is in a fix as if the Union Government does not accept the state government recommendation, the Congress state government would put the blame on BJP for not granting this status. If the Union Government accepts the recommendation, the Congress-led state government would claim the credit. So far the BJP has chosen to accuse the Congress Government of splitting the Hindu religion.

Also read:

Lingayat’s minority status a non-issue in Karnataka polls

Lingayat issue: Siddaramaiah puts BJP in a Catch-22 position

Congress dares Modi-Shah to clear stand on Lingayats as separate religion