Karnataka Poll Express: The Lingayat Debate

In 2017, the religious leaders of the Lingayat community submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking the state’s recommendation to the central government to recognise Lingayata ‘dharma’ as a separate faith, and not as a cluster of religions that come under Hindu dharma. Siddaramaiah’s government supported this claim and has recommended for the separate faith/religion tag to the central government.