Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated on Sunday that Lingayat is a separate religion, a remark likely to rekindle the opposition’s accusations from 2013 to 2018 that he aimed to create divisions within the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. Addressing the closing ceremony of the Basava cultural campaign 2025, organized by the Lingayat Seers’ Association, Siddaramaiah articulated, “The caste system is entrenched in our society. To uproot this caste system, Basavanna established a separate religion.”
His comments come amid ongoing debates within the Lingayat community concerning whether to identify as a distinct religion or as a caste under Hindu classification in the current socio-educational survey. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has encouraged Veerashaiva-Lingayats to categorize themselves as a caste to reinforce the Hindu community in the state, while the Congress party has sought to portray the community as a separate religion.
At the commencement of his speech, Siddaramaiah indicated a reluctance to address various topics at the Lingayat convention due to the potential for controversy. He criticized the caste system, stating, “I’m a Shudra under the Chaturvarna system. Just because I’m Shudra, I cannot be denied opportunities for education and equality. Caste does not confer greatness or fame on anyone… Knowledge belongs to everyone and cannot be restricted.”
Siddaramaiah urged lower castes and all followers of Basavanna’s principles to unite in the pursuit of a casteless society. He quoted Ram Manohar Lohia, explaining that while rallies by forward castes are efforts in caste consolidation, those by backward castes and the downtrodden represent a collective movement toward seeking equality. He underscored the necessity of consolidation for achieving an equal and humane society.
