Karnataka Election: Lingayat tag not a poll issue in Tumakuru

TUMAKURU: If one thought that the Lingayat-Veerashaiva debate and the decision to accord minority status to the Lingayat community will make or mar the chances of political parties, Tumakuru dashes both wishes. Voters in this Lingayat heartland of South Karnataka believe it is not an election issue.

Tumakuru, with 11 constituencies, has an equal population of Lingayats and Vokkaligas, followed by Dalits who are the third largest caste group. Lingayat voters, however, hold the key in nine of the 11 constituencies in the district, with Tumakuru Rural, Tiptur and Chikkanayakanahalli being their major pockets.

Yet, when the Lingayat-Veerashaiva debate was at its peak in the state, Tumakuru, which houses Siddaganga Mutt, one of the most influential Veerashaiva institutions of South Karnataka, made no noise about it. Currently, of the 11 seats in the district, six are with the JD(S), four with the Congress and one with the BJP. While most Lingayats and Veerashaivas in Tumakuru are tight-lipped about the minority status, they only admitted that the issue had not touched the southern belt as much as it touched North Karnataka.

Dr Meenakshi Khandimath, chairperson at the Department of Studies and Research in Political Science, Tumkur University, said that unlike in North Karnataka, Lingayats of south Karnatka do not vote on the basis of caste. “The issue will play a role in regions above Ballari but definitely not in Tumakuru. If at all caste was the criterion, this district should have elected only Lingayat MLAs. Despite this being a Veerashaiva belt, people have elected MLAs from all castes and communities,” the professor said.

Renuka Paramesh, an office-bearer of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha, pointed out that while the difference between Lingayats and Veerashaivas is evident in North Karnataka, it is not the same in the southern parts of Karnataka. “Here marriages take place between the two communities and we in fact do not consider the two communities as different at all. When some Veerashaiva mutts in North Karnataka are making open statements on the issue, Siddaganga Mutt has by and large remained neutral, calling for unity,” Renuka said.

The lack of a strong Lingayat leadership and the liberal mindset among the Veerashaivas here are seen as reasons for the issue not gathering steam in the south. “In North Karnataka, political leaders from the community have pursued the matter whereas the Lingayat leaders in Tumakuru have limited reach and so haven’t been vocal on the issue,” said a person from the community.

Virupaksha, a resident of Tumakuru, believes that the difference between the communities is noticeable in North Karnataka because of the existence of the Pancha Peethas (a group of five Veerashaiva monasteries). “Veerashaivas there are conservative as they follow Vedic traditions whereas the difference between Lingayats and Veera shaivas fades in the south,” he said.

“We don’t see any good happening to our community from the minority tag. It will only help educational institutions run by members of the community,” said MB Sadashiv, another Tumakuru resident.