Veerashaiva Mahasabha plans meet to unite sub-sects

The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Monday finalised its plans to hold a massive three-day convention starting December 23 in Davangere for which President Draupadi Murmu will be invited.

The Maha Adhiveshana (Grand session) aims to bring together all 104 sub-sects of the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, Mahasabha vice-president B S Sachidananda Murthy told DH.

“We have invited President Murmu while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will inaugurate the Maha Adhiveshana,” Murthy said adding that former chief minister B S Yediyurappa will come for the valedictory.

The Maha Adhiveshana is seen as a counter to a massive convention planned by the Vokkaligas, another dominant caste, on January 23. Murthy rejected this notion. “We hold this event once every five years. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we couldn’t do it on schedule,” he said.

Through the three-day event, the Mahasabha wants to “unite” all sub-sects of the caste group. It has demanded that all Veerashaiva-Lingayat sub-sects should come under the central OBC list.

Demand

Under the central OBC list, Veerashaiva-Lingayats will get a share in 27 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions. Apparently, of the 104 sub-sects, the union government has included only 30 for the OBC status.

The Maha Adhiveshana will have seminars focussing on farmers, education and other topics, Murthy said.

Even the Panchamasali Lingayats, who are said to be the numerically stronger sub-sect, have been invited, according to Murthy.

The Panchamasalis, who come under category 3B with a 5 per cent quota, are demanding to be brought under Category 2A in which they will get a share in the 15 per cent reservation.

“The Mahasabha has demanded inclusion in the central OBC list and our demand stays. The Mahasabha will not ask for or back reservation claimed by individual sub-sects,” Murthy said when asked if the Mahasabha supported the Panchamasalis’ demand.

On January 23, the Vokkaligas are slated to stage a massive protest at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru to mount pressure on the government to hike their Category 3A reservation from 4 per cent to 12 per cent.

The reservation-related moves being made by two dominant caste groups are likely to have a bearing on the 2023 Assembly elections.