Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami asserted that he will push for a hike in reservation for the Lingayat community, irrespective of the political party that comes to power after the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections. He said the then Siddaramaiah led government (2013 to 2018) had recommended to the Centre to accord minority status to Lingayat community like it was done for Jainism and Buddhism. However, the central government had neither accepted nor rejected the proposal. “In the coming days, I expect Lingayats to be given a separate minority status.”
Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami had led the 32-month protest seeking the classification of the Panchamashalis, the largest sub-sect of the powerful Lingayat community, from 3B to 2A in the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Since it was not possible to provide under 2A, the Bommai government created a new ‘2D’ category and provided 2 per cent more reservation, increasing the total reservation for Lingayats to 7 per cent.
The state has four categories of OBC: 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B based on the economic, social and educational status. These communities get preferential reservations in jobs and educational institutions based on the categories.