The Lingayat Veerashaiva rift worsens as thousands hit streets in Karnataka

Mathe Mahadevi's followers warned that they would intensify their agitation if the state government if it does not recommend for a separate religion.

Thousand of people took to the streets of Hubbali in northern Karnataka and the split between the pontiffs of various maths or Veerashaivas and Lingayats was evident.

Followers of the Rambhapuri seer took to the streets to protest against attempts to break the unity under the guise of according religious status. The protestors also raised slogans against Mathe Mahadevi for insulting the Rambapuri seer after he had made controversial comments against her. Booklets depicting her in a derogatory manner were displayed during the protest.

The followers of the Rambhapuri seer and Mathe Mahadevi have been at logger heads after the latter raised the demand for a separate religious status for Lingayats.

Mathe Mahadevi's followers warned that they would intensify their agitation if the state government if it does not recommend for a separate religion. On the other hand the followers of the Rambhapuri seer said that they would launch a campaign to vote only for those candidates who uphold the unity of the community.

OneIndia News