Davanagere (Karnataka) : All India Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha passed a resolution calling for caste census, saying that it should be conducted scientifically, based on the actual social, educational, and economic backwardness of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community including all sub-sects in Karnataka. The resolution was passed at the 24th session of the two-day Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha held at Davanagere.
The caste census, a survey of social and educational status that is the subject of hot political debate in the state, is about eight years old. Its contents are said to have been leaked before it was officially approved. Hence Mahasabha urged that, the government should not accept the Kantharaj Commission report on the caste census.
Notably, Shamanur Shivshankarappa, Senior Congress MLA and Mahasabha National President, presented these important resolutions of the session. Panditaradhya Swamiji of Sanehalli, former CM B S Yeddyurappa, Ministers Ishwar Khandre, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, and many others were present.
The Mahasabha resolved that their community remains committed to protecting the country's integrity, unity, and security. The great humanist Jagajyoti Basaveshwara, who built the concept of Parliament through Anubhava Mantapa in the 12th century, is timeless, it said. In this background, the government should officially declare Vishwaguru Basavanna as the cultural leader of the state, the Mahasabha said.