'Veerashaiva-Lingayats are Shudras,' says Kore

We are not Brahmins, Kshatriyas or Vaishyas. We are Shudras. But we have been denied the benefit of reservation, Kore said

Former Rajya Sabha member and vice president of Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha, Prabhakar Kore, on Saturday said Veerashaiva-Lingayats are Shudras and that the reservation for the community has been long overdue.

A few well-off communities have received reservation benefits. We are not Brahmins, Kshatriyas or Vaishyas. We are Shudras. But we have been denied the benefit of reservation. The Central government should provide us with the reservation that is being accorded to other Shudras, Kore, the chairman of KLE Society, said speaking at a programme to felicitate the MLAs from the community.

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He urged the followers of Basavanna to register in the caste/religion column as ‘Veerashaiva Lingayat’ before mentioning their sub-caste. This has to be followed to keep the community intact, he added.