Lingayat row: Let RSS mind its business, not poke nose in our fight says Horatti

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.

"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.

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.

"I am proud to call myself a Lingayat. Let Yeddyurappa proudly say that he is Veerashaiva," he challenged.

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.

He added that their struggle was not a poll gimmick and would continue after the elections also, if necessary.

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.

"Everybody fights for their caste and religion. Is Ahinda not fighting against 82% reservation? Is that begging?" he asked scribes.