Karnataka Politics: Lingayat Community Demands OBC Status

Karnataka Politics: Lingayat community demands OBC status, BJP confused. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka is in a dilemma.

The reason for this is the demand of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community from the central government to join the Other Backward Classes i.e. OBC.

Veerashaiva- Lingayat community leaders have warned that they will launch a massive agitation if their demand is not met.

At the same time, BJP sources say that this is not good news for the party, which is preparing for the assembly elections to be held in 2023.

All India Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who is also a veteran Congress leader from the state, says that a decision in this regard has been taken in the general body meeting.

Veerashaiva-Lingayat community stands firmly with BJP.

The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, which is considered the dominant community with 18 to 20 percent of the population in the state, is firmly behind the ruling BJP in Karnataka.

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the current Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai come from the Lingayat community.

Karnataka Politics: Difficult situation for BJP.

Granting OBC status to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community will be a difficult situation for the BJP-led central government. According to sources, this decision will be taken at the national level.

Veerashaiva-Lingayat community is one of the backward communities

The Vokkaliga community, which is another major community in Karnataka, OBC status was given during Deve Gowda’s tenure.

God b. Khandre, General Secretary of the Mahasabha and a senior Congress leader said that though the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community is considered a forward caste.

It is one of the most backward communities in terms of social, economic, and educational scenarios.

Negligible share in public sector enterprises.

He said that the share of Veerashaiva-Lingayats is negligible in terms of recruitment in UPSC, Banking Sector, Railways, Staff Selection Commission, and Public Sector Enterprises run by the Central Government.

However, sources said the time for the demand by the Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha is to put the ruling BJP in trouble.

If BJP is committed to fulfilling the demand, it will have to address such demands from across the country, which will open Pandora’s box.

BJP did not give any reaction.

If BJP is not committed to fulfilling this demand, then the opposition Congress can target it. However, the BJP has not commented on the issue and is proceeding with caution.