Eshwar Khandre
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MInister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre on Monday countered the demand for a separate religious status for Lingayats by the Basava Samskruthi Abhiyan and said that “no force can separate Veerashaiva-Lingayats” in the State.
He recalled the statement made by revered seer the late Shivakumara Swamy that both Veerashaiva and Lingayats are one and ruled out a separate religious tag only to Lingayats.
In reply to Minister M.B. Patil’s demand for a separate religious tag for Lingayats, Mr. Khandre said, “Some vested interests are spreading misinformation about the community with political malice.”
Noting that the State would develop if Veerashaiva-Lingayats remained united, he said the Mahasabha was in favour of the religious tag for the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
“Although we are all Hindus geographically, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains are recognised as separate religions.” Based on our customs and beliefs, he said a separate religious tag should be given to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat.
The All India Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha has been demanding the separate column in the caste census for the community since 2000. He said the issue of separate religion has nothing to do with the government.
Asked about the speculation on the change of leadership in the Congress government, the Minister said, “There is nothing like November kranthi, and it’s just a topic of discussion in the media. No discussion had taken place at the party level on the issue of leadership change.”
Published – October 06, 2025 07:01 pm IST
