BELAGAVI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat was the target of Lingayat ire at the rally organised by the community here on Tuesday for his recent statement that Lingayat and Veerashaiva seers should convince it to drop the demand for a separate religious tag in the interest of strengthening Hinduism.
Taking strong objection to his remark, several leaders warned him not to interfere in their affairs. In his opening remarks, MLC Basavaraj Horatti advised Mr Bhagwat “not to poke his nose” in the affairs of the Lingayats. “He (Bhagwat) should let Lingayats take care of their issues and stay away,” he said, giving a call to boycott parties and leaders who did not support the community’s demand.
Siddalinga Swamy of Gadag Tontadarya Mutt accused Mr Bhagwat of derailing the Lingayats’ movement for a separate religious tag and wondered how Lingayats could be called Hindus when their ideologies did not match. “Lingayatism has no place for discrimination based on class, caste or gender unlike Hinduism,” he said.
Questioning the silence of Lingayat BJP leaders – who were conspicuous by their absence at the event - on the separate religious tag issue, Mathe Mahadevi said it was time they realised their religion was Lingayatism.
“All of you will be buried after death as per Lingayat customs and not BJP customs. All BJP leaders, who have stayed away from this movement, should realise that they are given party tickets under Lingayat quota. But unfortunately, you are not coming to the help of Lingayats when they need it,” she said, appealing to Mr Bhagwat to talk to PM Modi and expedite the process of granting separate religious tag to the community.
BSY keeps away
- All Lingayat leaders from the BJP, including community strongman and state unit chief B.S. Yeddyurappa stayed away from the rally. Whether this will hurt the party’s prospects in the 2018 state Assembly poll remains to be seen as it had come to power in the past riding on Lingayat support.
- Several leaders and seers identified with the Veerashaiva community and mutts were also absent at the rally, where Lingayat mutt seers made it clear that they did not see Veershaivas as part of their community.
