BJP: Decision to recognise Lingayats as religion will divide Hindus

Bengaluru, March 19: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called the Karnataka's Congress government decision on Monday to recognise the Hindu sects of Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats as separate religion an attempt to "divide the Hindu society".

The party's Lok Sabha member Shobha Karandlaje, tweeted: "Kannadigas (people of Karnataka) will never forgive you (Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah for your intention of dividing the Hindu society. For cheap vote bank politics, you are playing a dirty game. You cheated the whole community by dividing the leaders and Swamijis of Karnataka."

By granting a separate religion status, the ruling Congress was asking Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats, who believe in 12th century social reformer Basava's ideologies, to not follow Hinduism, she alleged.