Religion tag for Lingayats: Karnataka government to wait for panel report

Kalaburagi: The government will take a decision on recommending a separate religion status for Lingayats to the Centre after the experts’ committee of the state Minority Commission gave its report, CM Siddaramaiah said here on Saturday.

Interacting with the media at Afzalpur, where he laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs160 crore, Mr Siddaramaiah said he had received representations from Basava Dharma Peetha headed by Mathe Mahadevi, Panchapeethasa, Virakta Mathas and All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha and Lingayat Okkoota. “I had asked the Lingayats and Veerashaivas to unite, but they have not. As there is a demand for the petitions to be referred to the Commission, we will wait for its report ,” he added.

Asked whether he was insisting on doing away with EVMs for state polls because BJP appeared to be winning in Gujarat where they were used, Mr Siddaramaiah contended he had proposed use of ballot papers because they gave little scope for tampering.