Caste Census Sparks Rift in Veerashaiva–Lingayat Community | Exclusive with S.M. Jamadar

The Karnataka government has launched a statewide socio-educational caste census. Within the Veerashaiva and Lingayat community, the exercise has triggered major debates and internal conflict. Key highlights from this report and discussion with retired IAS officer S.M. Jamadar: A section of pontiffs insist that the census caste column should record Veerashaiva-Lingayat. Another group argues Lingayat is an independent religion, and hence must be marked under the religion column, while caste should be entered separately. Campaigns are underway urging Lingayats to record their caste with sub-identities such as Lingayat–Ganiga, Lingayat–Panchamasali, Lingayat–Kuruba, Lingayat–Nekara, Lingayat–Besta, etc. Dalit Lingayats are being advised to mention Lingayat–Holeya, Lingayat–Madiga, etc., ensuring reservation and welfare benefits remain unaffected. Activists of the Lingayat religion movement maintain that Lingayat is a distinct minority faith with no similarity to Hinduism, and all Lingayats must carefully mark details in the census. S.M. Jamadar stresses the importance of recognizing Lingayat as a separate religion and clarifies its implications for the ongoing caste census. This debate highlights the identity, reservation, and religious autonomy issues within Karnataka’s largest community. •••••••••• Trivarna News- ಸಮಗ್ರ ಸುದ್ದಿ- ಸಮೃದ್ಧ ಕನ್ನಡ • Subscribe:    / @trivarnanewskannada   • Facebook:   / trivarnanews   • X:   / trivarnanews   • Instagram:   / trivarnanewskannada   •••••••••• ⚠️Disclaimer: The content in the video is for informational purposes only. All news, analysis, and opinions presented are based on available information at the time of recording and may not reflect the most current developments. While we strive for accuracy, the information provided may evolve over time. We welcome and encourage feedback and discussions. If you spot any inaccuracies or have insights to share, please feel free to leave a comment or reach out at trivarnamedia@gmail.com Our goal is to continuously improve and provide helpful, reliable content for our audience. #Lingayat #Veerashaiva #CasteCensus #LingayatReligion #TrivarnaNews #SMMJamadar #KarnatakaPolitics #ReservationDebate