K'taka Govt. approves separate religion status for Lingayats

Bengaluru (Karnataka): The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka Government on Monday accepted the suggestions of Nagamohan Das committee to form a separate religion status of the Lingayats community.

The decision came just a few months before the state assembly elections.

The suggestion which has been accepted under section 2D of the state Minorities Commission Act will now be sent to the Centre for the final approval.

A seven-member Nagamohan Das committee headed by retired high court Judge H N Nagamohan Das submitted its report on March 2, 2018, stating that "Lingayats in Karnataka may be considered as a religious minority."

The Lingayats also known as the Veerashaiva community owes loyalty to the social reform movement of the 12th century initiated by Basaveshwara has a considerable population in the northern part of the Karnataka.