Bengaluru: Setting the state government a deadline for granting separate religion status for them, Lingayats from Karnataka and also neighbouring states, on Sunday said their demand should be met before December 30 failing which they would intensify the stir in January next year.
Interestingly, a cabinet minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet Vinay Kulkarni, who is one of the trusted lieutenants of CM, was also present at the convention in Bengaluru.
Woman pontiff Mathe Mahadevi set a deadline of December 30 for the CM to fulfil their demand.
Cleverly avoiding the Veerashaiva-Lingayat debate, the Lingayat leaders put forth five demands. Mathe Mahadevi said, "We want religion status to be recommended by December 30, Kalburgi University to be renamed after Basavanna, withdrawal of the circular issuing Lingayat caste certificates, and the naming of Basavanna as the official cultural leader of Karnataka. Finally, a circular should be issued explicitly stating that Lingayats are not part of Hinduism."
Mr Kulkarni said the government should not delay on this issue and should take an immediate decision.
Mathe Mahadevi said the demand for Lingayat religion status was not a new demand. The issue was sidelined post Independence, she said.
The speakers including water resources minister, M.B. Patil did not criticise any leaders from the Veerashaivas or other communities. This was because the last time leaders attacked the Veerashaivas and Hindus, they attracted the wrath of people across the spectrum.
