Lingayat convention will be held in Basavakalyan from March 4

Belagavi: The Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha (JLM), which has been spearheading the fight for separate religion status for the Lingayat community, has planned the first Lingayat mega convention for two days from March 4. The event will be held at Basavakalyan in Bidar taluk, said Basavaraj Rotti, JLM district president.
Briefing about the event to the media persons here on Tuesday, Rotti said the mega convention has been planned in association with Rashtriya Basav Dal, Lingayat Dharm Mahasabha, Basav Samiti, Sharana Sahitya Parishattu, Lingayat Mathadheeshara Vakkuta, Basaveshwar Panch Committee in Basavakalyan and many other Lingayat organisations. Rotti clarified that this is an apolitical forum and politicians have been kept away from it. Lakhs of visitors from Telangana, AP, and TN as well as various parts of Karnataka will attend the mega convention.
On the first day, a procession with the portrait of Basaveshwar, the social reformer of the 12th century, will be held. More than 200 pontiffs from various Lingayat Mutts will take part in the procession. Scholar Go Ru Channabasappa has been selected as chairman of the two-day convention. As part of the convention, a number of topics will be discussed, including: 'reservation and Lingayats', 'fight for separate religion status and Lingayats', 'census and Lingayats', and 'role of women in organizing the Lingayat community and following traditions'. Maharashtra MPs Dhairyasheel Mane, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar and Raju Shetti, who brought up the issue of separate religion status within the parliament will be felicitated on the occasion. TNN