Terms of separation

Terms of separation

Context

The move to recogniseLingayats as a separate religion must be seen in a political and historical context

Request of classification at the time of finalization of Indian Constitution

  • The Lingayats were recorded as a caste within the Hindu religion for the first time in the 1881 census done in Mysore state
  • Their request to be classified as a separate religion instead was turned down at the time the Indian Constitution was being finalized
  • The rationale: How can Shaivites not be Hindu?

Nagamohan Das committee

  • The six-member Nagamohan Das committee, which was constituted three months ago, views Lingayats and those who believe in Basava’s philosophy as belonging to a separate religion.
  • The latter criterion is an opening offered to Veerashaivas who are clubbed with Lingayats in official documents despite their theological differences with the latter.
  • The Siddaramaiah government has now asked the Centre to endorse the committee’s view that Lingayats form a separate religion
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