MB Patil lambasts DK Shivakumar on Lingayat reservation issue

Hubballi: Home minister M B Patil launched tirade against his cabinet colleague, D K Shivakumar, for offering an apology on behalf of the previous government on the issue of separate religion status to Lingayats.

His vituperative attack against the water resource minister comes close on the heels of former minister Vinay Kulkarni's admission that the Congress erred by trying to divide the community and the move had backfired on the party in the Assembly elections held last year. Mr Patil and Mr Kulkarni were in the forefront of the stir demanding separate religion tag for Lingayats. Meanwhile, Basavaraj Horatti, the leader of coalition partner JD(S) and other Lingayat leaders have supported Mr Patil for criticism of Mr Shivakumar.

Mr Shivakumar had apologized for trying to divide Lingayat community while addressing a rally in Ballari few days ago. Earlier, a similar move at a religious programme in Gadag was criticized by Mr Patil. The home minister has lashed out at Mr Shivakumar again saying the later should not interfere in the Lingayat issue and also advised him to focus on Vokkaliga dominated areas of Old Mysore. He also urged KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao to instruct Mr Shivakumar to mend his ways. “Who is Mr Shivakumar to meddle with the Lingayat issue? Is he AICC president to offer an apology on behalf of the party? He should concentrate on southern parts and should seek apology from the people of that region where Congress needs to improve its strength. The issue of separate religion status for Lingayats is our problem and we will find solution with the help of our community leaders and seers”, Mr Patil added.

Stating that he would reveal reasons, post Lok Sabha polls, why Mr Shivakumar has raked up the Lingayat issue during his visit to north Karnataka, the home minister said he would address the media in this regard at a later date as he plans to focus only on winning more number of Lok Sabha seats for Congress at this juncture.

Meanwhile, JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti said Mr Shivakumar should not rake up this issue as it would hurt the sentiments of those leading the stir. “We had expected the Union government to accord independent religion status to Lingayats after the state government sent a recommendation. But, its move to reject the proposal has angered  Lingayat leaders. It is quite natural that the community leaders will get annoyed if Mr Shivakumar offers an apology”, Mr Horatti added.