Bengaluru, Mar 19: The Congress-led government in Karnataka has given its nod to the recommendation of separate religion for Lingayat community. The move comes at a crucial time when the state of Karnataka is due to polls later in the year. Of what was being seen as a long-time proposal by the Siddaramaiah government, it has now accepted suggestions of the state-constituted panel headed by Justice HN Nagamohan Das.

As the Lingayat community constitutes 17 percent of the state population, the decision to grant the minority status seems to come at an opportune time. The issue of granting the Lingayat community a minority status is well-debated for a long time now.

The Karnataka government had earlier formed a seven-member panel headed by Justice HN Nagamohan Das. There were alleged reports that the Lingayat community might be given the minority status.

The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numerically strong and politically-influential community, amidst resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same. While one section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, the other wants it only for Lingayats as it believes that Veerashaivas is one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.

Political pundits have claimed that the granting of the minority status is being seen as to woo the voters, and the consequences of it will only result in votes being divided. Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyyurappa also hails from the Lingayat community. The community in the state is widely seen as a community that is inclined to vote for BJP.

With the state of Karnataka scheduled to go for polls later this year, it will be interesting to see which way the electorate will swing. For now, the Congress party is going out all guns blazing keeping the issues of the separate state flag and granting minority status to Lingayat community in the forefront. (With PTI Inputs).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2018 03:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).