Members of various sub-sects of Veerashaiva Lingayat community took out a protest march under the aegis of Akhila Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha and staged a dharna in Dharwad on Monday, demanding inclusion of all sub-sects of the community under the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The protestors, who congregated at Lingayat Bhavan at Jayanagar in Dharwad, marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office via KCD Circle and staged the dharna in front of the office of the district administration before submitting a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister.
The protest march was led by political leaders belonging to the Congress, the BJP and the Janata Dal(Secular) who said that they had come to highlight the genuine demand of the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
The speakers addressing the protestors said that the Lingayat community had accepted people of all caste and communities who followed the teachings of Lord Basaveshwara. The Veerashaiva Lingayat community which had been enlisted under the other backward community by the State did not have the same facilities under the Central government as all the sub-sects were not included under the Central list of OBCs.
They said that the Chinnappa Reddy Commission had in its report mentioned that the Veerashaiva Lingayat community was a backward community like the Tigala, Ediga, Vokkaliga and Devang communities. But, despite the recommendations of the commission, the community has not been included under the Central list, thus depriving the community members of educational and job benefits, they added.
Sri Mallikarjun Swamiji of Murugha Mutt, national vice-president of mahasabha Shivanand Ambadgatti, district president Gururaj Hunasimarad, the former MLC Veeranna Mattikatti, HDMC councillors Shivu Hiremath, Bapugouda Patil, IC Gopal, Sharanappa Kotagi and several others took part in the agitation.
In the memorandum submitted to the district administration, the mahasabha has said that as the members of the community belong to the poor strata of society, they are unable to provide higher education to their children and educated youths of the community are being deprived of jobs. Due to the non inclusion of the sub-sects in the Central OBC list, there are very few number of members of the community in the banking and administration at the Central government level, the memorandum said and urged the Chief Minister to take up the matter and give justice to the community members.
