Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha (JLM) has welcomed the stand taken by Akhila Bharatiya Veerashaiva Mahasabha (ABVM) on religion status for Veerashaiva Lingayat.
JLM general secretary S.M. Jamdar said in Belagavi on Tuesday: “ABVM has passed a resolution at its 24th convention in Davangere urging all Veerashaiva Lingayat to describe themselves as Veerashaiva or Lingayat and not Hindus. This, however, is completely opposite to the stand taken by the organisation since its inception over a century ago. This is similar to our stand that Lingayat are not Hindus. Therefore, we welcome the stand,” Dr. Jamdar said.
“We, however, are seeking some clarifications. When JLM and other like-minded organisations began a movement demanding religion status for Lingayat, the ABVM opposed it strongly. The RSS and the BJP opposed it. The Panchacharyas [five seers] who head the Veerashaiva Maths in the country opposed our stand,” he said.
