Lingayat movement cost me my seat, says Basavaraj Horatti

Belagavi: Senior MLC and JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti has admitted that his involvement in the Lingayat movement for separate religion tag cost him a cabinet berth in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

Mr Horatti said in Belagavi that all leaders who were involved in the Lingayat movement for separate religion tag, had been kept out of the cabinet by the JDS-Congress alliance. 

The sidelining of former water resources minister M.B. Patil and many other leaders was an indication that both parties had ignored leaders who participated in the movement, he reiterated. “I find no fault with what I have done while demanding separate religion tag for Lingayats. It has been a fight for Lingayat religion and nothing else. Our fight is not a crime nor is it robbery or murder,” he said while defending the way he actively took part in several rallies organised prior to the Assembly elections by a large number of Lingayat organisations in the state.

Admitting that the fight for separate religion tag for the Lingayats would continue in the coming days, he said the leaders will shortly hold a meeting to chalk out their future course of action. “I learnt that the Centre has rejected the proposal sent by the state government for separate religion tag to Lingayats but our fight for the cause will continue as ever,” he stated.

Claiming that the lack of unity among legislators of north-Karnataka was the main reason why many deserving leaders in the region could not make it to the cabinet, Horatti said, until all leaders from north-Karnataka get united and fight for their rights, it is difficult to ensure justice to them. He expressed surprise over his party’s decision to keep him out of the cabinet adding that he was one of the aspirants for a cabinet berth in the JD(S).