Hubballi: Soon after wading into an unseemly row over the state flag controversy, which the BJP has dubbed as a move to win over voters, CM Siddaramaiah is now trying to woo the dominant Lingayat community after one sect on Wednesday demanded separate religion status for themselves.
Responding swiftly to the demand made at a huge rally of Lingayats in Bidar, the CM said he is ready to send a recommendation to the Centre seeking religion status for the community. This is being interpreted as a clever move to wean away the Lingayats from the opposition BJP and party chief B.S. Yeddyurappa, who considered the community their vote bank.
Siddaramaiah’s signal to the Lingayats comes after the state government's recent move to rename Karnataka State Women University as Akkamahadevi varsity, and the decision to display portraits of Lingayat icon Basavanna in all government offices. Speaking after being felicitated at Murugha Mutt in Dharwad, he stressed the need for unity in the community if such a proposal was to be accepted.
Stating that religion is only a way of life, he said anything which divides people can never be considered religion. Stressing the need to uplift the downtrodden, he claimed he was a staunch follower of social reformer Basavanna and had never believed in the caste system. Indirectly referring to BJP leaders, he termed those who create communal tension as pseudo secularists and rebutted the charge that he was trying to gain political mileage by making the display of Basavanna’s portrait mandatory.
“I personally feel that the concept of Lingayat religion is in perfect order. But there should not be differences of opinion in the community. I have no objection in making a recommendation to the Centre on religion status. The attempt to bring about reform in the caste system is akin to searching for water in a well filled with trash,” he said, adding the use of the word, Lingayat, was more appropriate than Veerashaiva.
CM defends stand
Justifying the need to have a state flag, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah maintained that there is no provision in the Constitution that prohibits such a move and added that he is ready to argue on his own as an advocate in this regard. Addressing mediapersons here on Thursday, he said the demand for a separate state flag has been there for many years and the final decision will be taken only after the committee, constituted to study the pros and cons, submits its report. Stating that the state flag will not hurt the sovereignty and unity of the nation, he advised BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa to read the Constitution. While unveiling the statue of veteran journalist and Kannada activist Patil Puttappa in Dharwad, he promised to allot five acres of land for the Sangh which has been working for Kannada culture and language.
