In Bengaluru, the Lingayat community has reignited its long-standing demand for recognition as a separate religion, distinct from Hinduism, during the valedictory ceremony of the Basava Culture Campaign-2025 on October 5, 2025. Organized by the Lingayat Matadeeshara Okkoota, the event saw prominent seers and community leaders unite to press for official religious status, a move that could grant Lingayats government benefits and reservations akin to those enjoyed by Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.

The campaign adopted five key resolutions, emphasizing national unity while advocating for Lingayat identity. “All Lingayats are Indians first. Our religion, rooted in Kannada culture, was founded by Mahatma Basaveshwara in the 12th century,” one resolution declared. It highlighted the community’s commitment to equality, brotherhood, and human values, urging Lingayats to embrace backward sub-castes, foster inter-caste marriages, and work toward collective progress. The resolution also called for continued efforts to secure religious recognition, arguing that Lingayats, while geographically part of the Hindu fold, deserve distinct status to access affirmative action benefits.

The event, attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ministers M.B. Patil, Sharan Prakash Patil, and Laxmi Hebbalkar, underscored the issue’s political weight. The push for separate religion status has historically been a divisive and electorally charged topic. In 2018, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s decision to recommend minority status for Lingayats backfired, contributing to significant electoral losses in Lingayat-dominated constituencies. Many Congress leaders who championed the cause faced defeat, as the move was perceived by some as an attempt to fracture the community.

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Tensions persist between factions within the broader Lingayat-Veerashaiva community. One group, led by the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha, insists that Veerashaivas and Lingayats are identical and should collectively seek separate status. Conversely, another faction argues that Lingayats are distinct, viewing Veerashaivism as one of seven Shaiva sects within Hinduism. This division was evident at the campaign event, with leaders aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Mahasabha notably absent, highlighting ongoing rifts.

The renewed campaign reflects the community’s determination to assert its identity while navigating complex political and social dynamics. As the Lingayat push for recognition gains momentum, it risks reigniting debates over caste, religion, and electoral strategies in Karnataka, with potential implications for the state’s political landscape.

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