Veerashaiva Mahasabha asks community members not to describe themselves as Hindus

Seers of various Veerashaiva Lingayat mutts, office-bearers and leaders participating in the 24th convention of Akhil Bharat Veerashiva Lingayat Mahasabha in Davangere.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Veerashaiva Mahasabha has urged the community members not to describe themselves as Hindu in the forthcoming population census or caste census. This was among the eight resolutions adopted by delegates to the Veerashaiva Mahasabha rally in Davangere on Sunday.

“All community members should not use the term Hindu for describing their religion in the next census. They should shun names of sub-castes. They should only use terms Veerashaiva or Lingayat to describe themselves. This is for the good of society and to tell the world about the specific numbers of our community,” resolution number 5 has said.

The other resolutions include a demand for a fresh caste census. The State government should not accept the Kantharaj report. The socio-economic survey of the various communities or caste census in the State is eight years old and its contents are believed to have been leaked. A fresh census should be conducted scientifically and it should enumerate social, educational and economic status of all castes, including the sub-castes of the Veerashaiva Lingayat groups.

The rally urged the State government to send a proposal to the Union government recommending Central OBC status to all sub-communities of Veerashaiva Lingayats.

“This will help the millions of community members who live in poverty,” a resolution said.

The State government should declare Basavanna to be the cultural leader of the State. His ideology is eternally relevant to the world, the mahasabha said.

The mahasabha also passed a resolution to support all agitations that are aimed at protecting the unity, integrity of the country and national security.

The mahasabha demanded that the State government buy the house where the former Chief Minister S. Nijalingappa lived in Chitradurga and develop it into a national monument.

MLA and mahasabha president Shamanuru Shivashankarappa read out the resolutions at the valedictory meeting of the 24th annual convention.

They were adopted unanimously.

Leaders B.Y. Vijayendra, Basavaraj Bommai, Eshwar Khandre, N. Thippanna, Go Ru Channabasappa and others were present.