<p align="justify">The State Cabinet on Monday accepted the recommendation of an expert committee to accord ‘religious minority’ status to the numerically strong and politically-influential Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.</p>.<p align="justify">The state government will soon notify “religious minority” status to “Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats (believers of Basava philosophy) ” under section 2(d) of the Karnataka State Minorities Act, 1994.</p>.<p align="justify">Addressing reporters after the cabinet meeting, which lasted for four hours and witnessed a heated debate on the issue, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the state government will also recommend to the Centre to notify “Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats” under section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities, 2005 for final approval. </p>.<p align="justify">The meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accepted the recommendations of the seven-member expert committee headed by retired Karnataka high court judge H N Nagamohan Das.</p>.<p align="justify">There was a discussion for over four hours before taking the final decision.</p>.<p align="justify">Before taking the final decision, the meeting witnessed heated arguments among cabinet colleagues as ministers were divided on the issues.</p>.<p align="justify">The committee submitted its report on March 2, 2018 recommending "Religious Minority" status for Lingayat community. The cabinet meeting was divided in its opinion and deferred a decision to March 14.</p>.<p align="justify">According to the report, Lingayats cannot be considered as a sub-sect of Hinduism. It was founded by the 12th-century social reformer Basavanna. Based on the historical documents, Lingayat can be accorded minority status on the lines of Buddhism and Jainism.</p>
<p align="justify">The State Cabinet on Monday accepted the recommendation of an expert committee to accord ‘religious minority’ status to the numerically strong and politically-influential Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.</p>.<p align="justify">The state government will soon notify “religious minority” status to “Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats (believers of Basava philosophy) ” under section 2(d) of the Karnataka State Minorities Act, 1994.</p>.<p align="justify">Addressing reporters after the cabinet meeting, which lasted for four hours and witnessed a heated debate on the issue, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the state government will also recommend to the Centre to notify “Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats” under section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities, 2005 for final approval. </p>.<p align="justify">The meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accepted the recommendations of the seven-member expert committee headed by retired Karnataka high court judge H N Nagamohan Das.</p>.<p align="justify">There was a discussion for over four hours before taking the final decision.</p>.<p align="justify">Before taking the final decision, the meeting witnessed heated arguments among cabinet colleagues as ministers were divided on the issues.</p>.<p align="justify">The committee submitted its report on March 2, 2018 recommending "Religious Minority" status for Lingayat community. The cabinet meeting was divided in its opinion and deferred a decision to March 14.</p>.<p align="justify">According to the report, Lingayats cannot be considered as a sub-sect of Hinduism. It was founded by the 12th-century social reformer Basavanna. Based on the historical documents, Lingayat can be accorded minority status on the lines of Buddhism and Jainism.</p>