Bengaluru: Dalit, Lingayat leaders oppose Lingayats registering as Beda Jangamas

With the statewide survey of Scheduled Castes (SCs) having entered its last week, both Dalit and Lingayat leaders have strongly asserted that Lingayat Jangamas shouldn’t be included with SC Jangamas. 

The Beda/Buduga Jangamas (SC), who constituted a population of 5,141 in the 1961 census, saw a massive rise to 4,10,804 as per data from the social and educational survey report (caste census). 

Alarmed at the spike in numbers, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, an SC (right) leader, strictly urged the state government at the party rally in Hosapete recently to ensure that Lingayat Jangamas were not included in the SC list, adding that those providing fake certificates must be arrested.

In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa – a senior SC (Left) leader in the Congress – had opposed including Lingayat Jangamas with Beda Jangamas.

Attributing the massive increase to several Lingayat Jangamas registering as SCs, Lingayat leaders have urged their fellow community members to not register under the SC category.

“Most of them are Veerashaivas and not Beda Jangamas. Those without Beda/Buduga Jangama certificates shouldn’t be considered as SCs in the survey,” said H M Renuka Prasanna, general secretary of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha.   

Social welfare department commissioner Rakesh Kumar told DH that they had received complaints, adding that the commission on internal reservation headed by retired High Court judge Justice H N Nagamohan Das would take a suitable decision before submitting its final report. 

Justice Das told DH that merely being included in the survey would not mean that all individuals would get caste certificates. “They must apply through proper channels, produce relevant documents and follow proper procedure to get certificates”.

Issuing caste certificates was not in the domain of the commission. If people complain of fake caste certificates, those aware of it should bring it to the notice of caste verification committees at the district level, he said.