<p>Koppal: Nearly six years after the Union government rejected the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s proposal to accord separate religion status for Lingayats, the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha has decided to push for the tag, Mahasabha general secretary S M Jamdar said on Sunday.</p><p>Speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the executive committee meeting of the Lingayat Mahasabha here, Jamdar said, “The Mahasabha will make all-out efforts to convince the state government and the Centre on the need for a separate religion status for Lingayats. A memorandum in this regard will be submitted in a month.”</p><p>“The Centre rejected the state government’s proposal stating that a section of Dalits and tribes come under Lingayat community. They would lose out on benefits extended to SC/STs, if a separate religion status is accorded to Lingayats. Now, many Dalits have joined the Buddhist religion. But they still enjoy benefits given to SC/STs. Hence, the reason given by the Centre for rejecting the state’s proposal is wrong,” Jamdar, a retired IAS officer, felt.</p>.<p>All Veerashaivas are Lingyats, but not all Lingayats are Veerashaivas, he added.</p><p>“The Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha came into existence some five to six years ago. Our struggle for separate religion status for Lingayats will continue until the issue is taken to a logical conclusion. We will reorganise and strengthen the Mahasabha by holding elections to district units,” Jamdar said.</p>
<p>Koppal: Nearly six years after the Union government rejected the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s proposal to accord separate religion status for Lingayats, the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha has decided to push for the tag, Mahasabha general secretary S M Jamdar said on Sunday.</p><p>Speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the executive committee meeting of the Lingayat Mahasabha here, Jamdar said, “The Mahasabha will make all-out efforts to convince the state government and the Centre on the need for a separate religion status for Lingayats. A memorandum in this regard will be submitted in a month.”</p><p>“The Centre rejected the state government’s proposal stating that a section of Dalits and tribes come under Lingayat community. They would lose out on benefits extended to SC/STs, if a separate religion status is accorded to Lingayats. Now, many Dalits have joined the Buddhist religion. But they still enjoy benefits given to SC/STs. Hence, the reason given by the Centre for rejecting the state’s proposal is wrong,” Jamdar, a retired IAS officer, felt.</p>.<p>All Veerashaivas are Lingyats, but not all Lingayats are Veerashaivas, he added.</p><p>“The Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha came into existence some five to six years ago. Our struggle for separate religion status for Lingayats will continue until the issue is taken to a logical conclusion. We will reorganise and strengthen the Mahasabha by holding elections to district units,” Jamdar said.</p>