Belagavi Lingayat Sanghatane has supported the demand for a separate religion status to Lingayat religion. Community leaders held a meeting in F.G. Halakatti Bhavan in Belagavi on Friday and discussed modalities of the rally planned on August 22 in the city to seek constitutional status for the religion.
S.M. Jamadar, retired IAS officer, and secretary of the Lingayat Dharma Horata Samiti addressed the members and spoke about the need for a separate religious status. Later, speaking to presspersons, he said anyone who believes that Basaveshwara was the founder of Lingayat faith and learns and practices Vachanas was welcome to the religion. No differentiation will be made in terms of caste, class and gender, Dr. Jamdar said.
Some political and religious leaders are creating unnecessary confusion about the issue. They may be doing it for political or other vested interests, he said.
He clarified that Veerashaivas were Hindus, while Lingayats were not. Lingayats do not believe in the Vedas, while Veerashaivas do. Veerashaivas believe that only those born in the Jangama community can be heads of Mutts, while Lingayats don’t believe so. Any one who practices the preachings of Basaveshwara can be heads of mutts, according to Lingayatism, he said.
Outside the meeting venue, posters saying “Are you a Lingayat?, then give a missed call to this number” were displayed with the phone numbers of a Sanghatane office bearer.