Q&A: I am all for religion tag to Lingayats, says Mathe Mahadevi

Mathe Mahadevi has been in the eye of a storm ever since she held a mammoth rally of Lingayats in Bidar last month. The 72-year-old woman, the first female seer of the Lingayat community in South India, remains firm on getting separate religion status for the community. Earlier, she was in the limelight for making corrections in the Vachanas penned by Basaveshwara and also stoked a controversy giving a statement that girls wearing short western attire will provoke men. Unperturbed over pesonal attacks from the Veerashaiva seers, she wants to continue her movement for the minority tag for Lingayats. She spoke on independent religion status for Lingayats in an interview with Deccan Chronicle. Excerpts: 

What is your opinion on the Veerashaiva Mahasabha that resolved that the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community combine is a separate religion?
The Veerashaiva Mahasabha has not invited me for the meeting held on August 2 as I have been sprearheading the movement seeking separate religion only for Lingayats. We will never change our stand though Mahasabha leaders tried to persuade us. We are always against the notion that Veerashaivas and Lingayats are one. We have called a meeting of like-minded Lingayat leaders and seers on August 10. We will display our strength there to support our claim that Lingayats deserve separate religion status.

Why has a spat erupted over Lingayat religion at this juncture when elections are a few months away?
We had submitted the proposal to the Centre on three occasions to grant the religion tag for Veerashaiva-Lingayats. But, it was rejected as Veerashaivas follow Vedic religious practices. Later, we conducted a proper study by visiting Puducherry, Kerala and other states. We realised only then that Lingayats are different from Veerashaiva whose  customs and culture are not identical with those of our community. Therefore, I resigned from the Veerashaiva Mahasabha and started a movement seeking separate religion tag for Lingayats. We had also approached AICC president Sonia Gandhi and other Union ministers who supported our claim during the UPA government’s tenure. Unfortunately, Parliamentary polls were declared when the Centre was about to convene a Cabinet meet to grant special status and this kept our proposal pending. 

Why are Lingayat leaders in BJP maintaining silence on the issue when Congress leaders are openly expressing their views?
Everyone knows that BJP leaders are pro-Hindu. The community leaders in the party lack the courage to support us. Leaders like B.S. Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar are silent only because they want to safeguard the  interests of their party. Though politics is more important to them, religion is the first priority for us. Moreover, there is a direction from the party high command as they fear losing community votes after the rift if they take sides with anyone. 

Is not this a Siddaramaiah strategy implemented through his Lingayat ministers to divide Lingayat votes so that BJP does not get the large chunk? 
Usually, a recommendation for separate religion status has to go to the Centre from the government of the state which has a large number of community people. The state government has not taken this seriously though we have been giving the proposal since last four years. Now, CM Siddaramaiah has expressed his willingness to recommend religion status. The question of his interference in community affairs does not arise as he is a rationalist who has great respect for the principles preached by Basaveshwara.

Who will take responsibity if the row takes a violent turn? What is wrong in seeking religion tag for Veerashaiva-Lingayats instead of indulging in street fights?
We cannot go together as there are a lot of differences. Veerashaivas don’t give top priority to saint Basaveshwara and also don’t respect his Vachanas. They also follow many superstitions in the name of Veda and Agama. Panchapeethas (five Mutts) are a role model for Veerashaivas. Their customs and traditions are against the principles of Lingayat religion. We have no objection if Veerashaivas demand a separate religion status for themselves. But, they should not disrupt the efforts of Lingayats to seek such a tag.

Why are prominent pontiffs like the Siddaganga seer not reacting?
Dr Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt is a senior pontiff, he is not in a position to react due to old age. His junior seer lacks proper knowledge about Vachana literature. One can speak about Lingayat religion only if he has conducted a thorough study of its Vachanas.

The Rambhapuri seer has launched a personal attack against you. What do you say about the charges of an illicit relationship?
The Rambhapuri seer and his followers have released a fake love letter which they claim I had written it to my spiritual Guru Lingananda Swamiji in 1962. But, I was studying PU that year and did not know anything about my Guru. I took Sanyas Dheeksha only in 1966 after I was influenced by a lecture given by the guru on the concept of Anubhava Mantapa (an academy of mystics, saints and philosophers of Lingayat faith) during a religious programme in Chitradurga. Some elements are trying to launch an attack on me as they have failed to counter me on the idea of a Lingayat religion. 

Is it not a political conspiracy to get minority tag so that you can safeguard the business interests of Lingayat education institutions?
It’s true. Heads of several education institutions like Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa are opposing religion status for Lingayats in view of their personal interests.  Only seers and common people of the community have hit the streets for religion tag. Several communities have embraced Lingayat religion and  principles of Basaveshwara from the 12th century. But,  small communities like Madiwala, Kammara, Kumbara, Badiger have identified themselves as Hindus to get reservation and government facilities. They will be deprived of such facility if they are identified as Lingayats. Therefore, our motto is to enrol these backward communities as Lingayats and uplift them by getting minority religion tag. 

Wouldn’t your demand provoke other communities like Vokkaligas and Kurubas to seek religion tag?
A community will get recognition of a religion only if it has eleven characteristics including its ideology, constitution and a spiritual guru. All these communities are considered Hindus who follow Vedic principles and practices. Lingayats are eligible to get religion tag as they  meet all criteria. 

Does it mean Lingayats cannot achieve spiritual pursuits under the present system? How it will change after getting religion tag?
The new followers of saint Basaveshwara are committing several mistakes in their spiritual practices. These mistakes run against the basic principles preached by saint Basaveshwara. Dalits are facing harassment from Lingayats who are misguided by Veerashaivas.  Therefore, separate religion tag is required to bring reform in the society. We also oppose their  ‘Adda Pallakki’ Utsav, in which the Rambhapuri seer is carried in a palanquin by his devotees on their shoulders which amounts to violation of human rights. The seer also wears a golden crown, rings on his fingers, Basaveshwara never preached such custom as a Jangama should sacrifice everything for the cause of society. 

What are your future strategies to attract the attention of the government ?
A massive rally will be organised in Belagavi on August 22 and in Kalaburgi on August 26. Maharashtra government is providing several facilities to Lingayats. Therefore, we are holding a rally in Latur town in Maharashtra on September 3 to unite the community. We will chalk out our future strategies after studying the steps taken by the state government to fulfill our demand.