<p>Jagatika Lingayata Mahasabha National President Basavaraj Horatti questioned Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders who they were to say that they will not allow Lingayat to become a separate religion.<br /><br />"Let RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji mind the functioning of the Sangh, and not poke his nose in our fight," Horatti said in a media conference, In Hubballi on Tuesday.<br /><br />Horatti referred to BJP State President B S Yeddyurappa saying in Tumakuru: 'Don't separate Lingayats and Veerashaivas. Let me see what happens'. Horatti asked Yeddyurappa to first clarify whether he was Veerashaiva or Lingayat.<br /><br />"I am proud to call myself a Lingayat. Let Yeddyurappa proudly say that he is Veerashaiva," he challenged.<br /><br />Horatti said that the Mahasabha would take the fight to the courts if it is not resolved and questioned what problem Veerashaivas had if Lingayat was given a separate religion tag.<br /><br />He added that their struggle was not a poll gimmick and would continue after the elections also, if necessary.<br /><br />In his rebuttal to industrialist Vijay Sankeshwara's statement that Lingayats were 'begging for reservation', Horatti said that fighting for justice and reservation was a Lingayat's right and not beggary.<br /><br />"Everybody fights for their caste and religion. Is Ahinda not fighting against 82% reservation? Is that begging?" he asked scribes.</p>
<p>Jagatika Lingayata Mahasabha National President Basavaraj Horatti questioned Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders who they were to say that they will not allow Lingayat to become a separate religion.<br /><br />"Let RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji mind the functioning of the Sangh, and not poke his nose in our fight," Horatti said in a media conference, In Hubballi on Tuesday.<br /><br />Horatti referred to BJP State President B S Yeddyurappa saying in Tumakuru: 'Don't separate Lingayats and Veerashaivas. Let me see what happens'. Horatti asked Yeddyurappa to first clarify whether he was Veerashaiva or Lingayat.<br /><br />"I am proud to call myself a Lingayat. Let Yeddyurappa proudly say that he is Veerashaiva," he challenged.<br /><br />Horatti said that the Mahasabha would take the fight to the courts if it is not resolved and questioned what problem Veerashaivas had if Lingayat was given a separate religion tag.<br /><br />He added that their struggle was not a poll gimmick and would continue after the elections also, if necessary.<br /><br />In his rebuttal to industrialist Vijay Sankeshwara's statement that Lingayats were 'begging for reservation', Horatti said that fighting for justice and reservation was a Lingayat's right and not beggary.<br /><br />"Everybody fights for their caste and religion. Is Ahinda not fighting against 82% reservation? Is that begging?" he asked scribes.</p>