Union minister Ananth Kumar on Tuesday said the Congress government's move on grant of religious minority status for the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community was 'vote-bank politics', and claimed the United Progressive Alliance government had rejected a similar proposal in 2013 saying Scheduled Caste members of the group would lose reservation benefits.
The minister's remarks came a day after the Karnataka cabinet decided to recommend to the Centre grant of religious minority status for the numerically strong Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
"Several demands were made in the past and even the Maharashtra government had also sought a separate religion tag for Veerashiva-Lingayat sect. But the then UPA government in 2013 rejected it," the parliamentary affairs minister told reporters in New Delhi.
"The Siddaramaiah is adopting Britisher Robert Clive's divide and rule strategy ahead of assembly polls. The Congress is doing vote-bank politics. This will not benefit them. It will boomerang," he said.
He accused the Siddaramaiah government of playing politics in the name of religion ahead of the assembly polls, even as the Union Home Ministry said it would examine in detail the Karnataka government's recommendation as and when it receives the proposal.
The Union home ministry is expected to forward the proposal to the Registrar General & Census Commissioner for a detailed examination and suggestions, a ministry official said.
Kumar further said the Registrar General India (RGI) -- in its letter written on November 14, 2013 to the Maharashtra government and also to All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha -- had said that Veerashiva-Lingayat is a sect of Hindu.
'The demand made by All India Veershiva Mahasabha is apparently not logical and correct. Therefore, no separate code/column was proposed to be assigned for persons returning their religion as Veerashiva-Lingayat during the Census of India, 2011,' the letter said.
The Registrar General had also said, "If Veerashiva-Lingayat is treated as a separate religion by providing separate code/column than Hindu, all SCs professing the Veerashiva-Lingayat sect will lose their Constitutional status, since SC can be only from Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh alongwith their sects."
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, who addressed media separately, reiterated the same. "In November 2013, the then Manmohan Singh government had decided that giving separate religion tag will split the society further and affect SCs professing Veerashaiva/Lingayat Dharma," he said.
The minister alleged that 'the Karnataka government is playing politics. The only reasons they are pushing for separate religion status is to stop Lingayat BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa from becoming chief minister'.
The central government's decision on this issue is very clear and there won't be any change in that, he added.
Union Minister of State of Drinking Water and Sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi was also present at press conference.
The decision to give separate religion tag to Lingayat community is expected to have an impact on the upcoming elections as Veerashiva-Lingayats account for 17-18 per cent of the state's population.
Veerashaiva Mahasabha opposes Karnataka cabinet decision
The Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Tuesday said it would not accept the Karnataka cabinet's decision to recommend to the Centre granting religious minority tag to the dominant Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
Calling the cabinet decision the 'height of injustice', Mahasabha President Shamanur Shivashankarappa, also the ruling Congress MLA, said a meeting has been convened on March 23 to discuss the next course of action.
Calling Veershaiva dharma a 'very ancient one', he expressed discontent over yesterday's cabinet decision.
Speaking to reporters at Davangere after meeting senior Veerashaiva seers, he said "We have called a meeting of Veerashaiva Mahasabha on March 23; prima facie itself this (decision of the cabinet) makes it clear that it is the height of injustice."
"Our feeling is that Veerashaivas and Lingayats are one. Veerashaiva Mahasabha will not accept cabinet decision," he added.
One section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same.
The other group wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaivas are one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.
The decision that is fraught with political implications is seen as an attempt by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to wean away a section of the community towards the Congress.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa hails from the Lingayat community.
Earlier on Tuesday, breaking his silence on the issue, Yeddyurappa, also the state BJP chief, urged Mahasabha leaders to call for an emergency meeting and come to a decision.
Stating that the BJP has been saying it would abide by the decision of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha, he said his party would make its stand clear, based on the Mahasabha's decision.
"I will not make any statement in urgency, let them (Mahasabha) call an emergency meeting, discuss the pros and cons and come to a decision and guide," Yeddyurappa said after a meeting with senior party leaders.
"Siddaramaiah has cleverly done what has to be done and come to a decision on the issue. But today Veerashaiva Mahasabha has to come to a decision...following their decision and guidance, BJP will make its stand clear," he added.
