Bengaluru: A faction of the Lingayat community, who had gathered in Bidar on July 18, revived the demand for the formation of a separate religion for Lingayats. This has resulted in a controversy as Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has responded positively to their demand. And following the CM’s comments, former CM and BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa said that Siddharamaiah was dividing the Lingayat community.
Now it is the turn of Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil to jump into the fray by saying that Lingayat community had all the distinct characteristics to qualify as a separate religion. Patil, who belongs to the Lingayat community, said yesterday that the demand for the status of an independent religion was not new.
