Basavanna declared as Karnataka cultural leader

Bengaluru: The Cabinet decided Thursday to declare 12th century social reformer and Lingayat faith founder Basavanna as Karnataka’s cultural leader.

This is the first such declaration in Karnataka and on the lines of Maharashtra having made Chhatrapati Shivaji its icon.

In a statement, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Lingayat pontiffs had demanded declaring Basavanna as the state's cultural leader. "I'm satisfied that our government has fulfilled this demand. I hope all pontiffs will bless our government," he said.

Siddaramaiah said Basavanna was his "ideological guru" and recalled that it was on Basava Jayanti that he first took oath as chief minister in 2013. "It was not a coincidence; it was deliberate," he said.

The Cabinet decision was seen as the Congress government appropriating Basavanna and making a plank out of his ideals to attack the BJP. It was also viewed as wooing the Lingayat community ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, a Lingayat, said the Cabinet decision had nothing to do with the upcoming polls. "Basavanna advocate a casteless society. His principles are all the more relevant now at a time when communalism is rising," he said.

The Cabinet decided to name Shivamogga’s Freedom Park after Vachana poet Allama Prabhu. It was also decided to rename Kittur taluk in Belagavi as Rani Chennamma Kittur. The PH Nandihal village in Basavanabagewadi (Vijayapura) will be renamed as Aaroodha Nandihal.