At a Vachana discussion program on Thursday, September 18, at Udupi Town Hall, religious leaders from the Lingayat community emphasized that Lingayat is not a sect within Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma but a distinct religion in its own right.
The event was organized as part of the ‘Basava Samskruti Abhiyan’ initiative by the Lingayat Mathadhipati Union, aiming to engage both college students and the broader public.
Dr. Basavalinga Pattadevaru of Bhalki Hiremath Sansthan addressed the gathering, asserting that the Lingayat faith emerged as a response to the entrenched caste and varna hierarchies in society. He stated, “The Lingayat religion is not a fragment of Sanatana Dharma. It is a faith that arose in opposition to caste-based and varna-based discrimination. Lingayat religion is neither Hindu nor Sanatana Dharma; it stands as an independent religion.”
Furthermore, he elaborated, “Lingayat is not a caste identity—it is a complete religion. Religion and caste are two different concepts. Caste is comparable to darkness, while religion is like light. To eliminate the darkness of caste, we require the illumination of religion.”
Shivananda Swamiji of Handigunda Math also advocated for constitutional recognition of the Lingayat religion, drawing comparisons to other minority religions. He remarked, “Just as Sikhism, Jainism, and other minority religions enjoy constitutional recognition, we too are entitled to the same. This is not a form of protest—it is our right. Lingayat is neither Hinduism nor Sanatana Dharma. It is an independent religion. Basavanna is our religious teacher, Vachana literature is our scripture, and the Basava Dharma or Lingayat Dharma given by Basavanna does not belong to any other religious tradition.”
This declaration comes a day after the BJP in Karnataka passed a resolution mandating that all members participate in the caste survey conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission. The party has insisted that participants must identify as ‘Hindu’ in the religion column and specify their caste in the corresponding section.
The BJP has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of attempting to “divide Hindus,” pointing out that the survey form includes an “others” option under religion. The party claims this could encourage communities like the Lingayats to identify as separate entities.
Tags: Lingayat, religion, Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma, scholars
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