Overview

• At the Basava Samskruthi Abhiyan valedictory in Bengaluru, community leaders passed five resolutions that included a call for separate religion status.
• Siddaramaiah told the gathering that Lingayat is a separate religion and framed the move in the context of rejecting the caste system.
• The ongoing Socio‑Educational Survey has left Lingayats and Veerashaivas split over listing as a separate religion under ‘others’ or as a caste within Hinduism.
• Prominent BJP Lingayat leaders and the Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha were absent from the event, reflecting continuing political and community divisions.
• The chief minister announced Basava University would start next academic year and said the state will recommend renaming Namma Metro as ‘Basava Metro’ to the Centre.