‘I am an Indian, a Kannadiga and a Lingayat,’ says Kalburgi’s son

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah have been alleging that those behind the Lingayat movement in Karnataka are trying to create a divide in the Hindu community.

Their attack is targeted at the incumbent Congress that recommended the central government to accord minority status to the followers of Basavanna, a 12th-century philosopher.

The rebuttal to the BJP’s allegations has come from different quarters – including the family of slain Kannada scholar Dr MM Kalburgi.

“When we were never part of Hinduism, how are Lingayats even dividing the Hindu community?” asked Roopdarshi in the same drawing room where her father was shot dead almost three years ago. “I am saying – I am a Lingayat. How does that make me anti-Hindu?”

Dr Kalburgi was shot dead by unidentified men on August 30, 2015. Kalburgi’s lifework – his writings and compilation of 22,000 vachanas of Basavanna – has given the Lingayat community a large share of its literature. As Karnataka goes to the polls on May 12, his works have become more important than ever.

In 2017, Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha successfully steered a massive Lingayat movement demanding minority status for the followers of Basavanna. Under pressure or with an eye on the upcoming Assembly polls in the state, chief minister Siddaramaiah asked the state minority commission to submit a report on the community.

It is believed that the Lingayats alone form 15-17 per cent of Karnataka’s population – a number big enough to change the fate of any political party in the polls. Before the movement could succeed in getting its demand fulfilled, it led to a split between the two Lingayat sects – Lingayats and Veerashaivas.

In March, based on the expert committee report, the Karnataka government recommended that the Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats (believers of Basavanna Tatva philosophy) be accorded minority status. The Veerashaiva Mahasabha, however, criticised the move as it said their sect existed even before Basavanna, who founded the religion in the 12th century.

Meanwhile, the expert committee report vindicated Kalburgi’s stand – that the Lingayat sect was not part of Hindu religion and that the Veerashaivas were not Lingayats.

In 1993, Kalburgi published the first of his 15 volumes on Vachana Sahitya, using Veerashaiva and Lingayat interchangeably. But, by 1994-95, he stopped using the term Veerashaiva for Lingayat, the scholar’s family said.

A month before his murder, the former vice-chancellor of Hampi University had finished and submitted his final work – the two volumes comprising 22,000 vachanas – to the Karnataka government for publication. They were published in 2016.

Almost three years after his murder, the Kalburgi home has again started receiving journalists as guests. His wife, Umadevi Kalburgi, 70, avoids them as much as she can. Her son, 48-year-old Srivijay Kalburgi, works as a senior manager at a prominent multi-chain store in Bangalore. When asked about the investigation into his father’s murder, Srivijay told Newslaundry: “The government has assured us that they are trying their level best. It’s been over two-and-a-half years but there is no headway in the case.”

He added that he is hopeful the police will be able to solve the case. Speaking about his own religious beliefs, Srivijay said: “I am an Indian, a Kannadiga and a Lingayat.” When asked whether he considers himself a Hindu or not, he replied “No. I am Lingayat.”

Back in Dharwad, his sister Roopdarshi told Newslaundry that the family has lost interest in the case and is focusing more on getting Dr Kalburgi’s work published. His published works have been carefully kept in the room where he was shot dead.

A portrait of Kalburgi is placed on the sofa he used to sit on along with his spectacles, final compilation of vachanas, and translation of select 2,500 vachanas in 23 Indian languages (published after his death). His most famous and controversial line of work – the Marga series books – are placed at the front of the display.

“The first book of the Marga series (a compilation of his articles and theories) was published in 1988 and was subsequently banned,” Umadevi said. It remains her favourite. “I have read all his works. I was his first reader,” she recalled with a smile. “His emphasis was on writing in a simple language so that everyone could understand. He would often say – if I understood his works, other readers would too.”

According to Basavanna’s philosophy, there is only one god – Shiva. Umadevi used to worship other gods and goddesses even after she married Kalburgi. But her husband’s writings eventually influenced her to become a practising Lingayat.

Her daughter explained how their religion is different from Hinduism. “We reject the Vedas,” she said. “We reject the caste system and our Siva is not the Kailasha Shiva. Our Siva is a formless God.”

Translating a Basavanna vachana that speaks against the caste system, she said: “If I say I am Harua [Brahmin], Koodalasangayya will laugh at me.”

Kalburgi’s writings put the family “under threat” for the first time in the 1980s, Roopdarshi said. But as time passed, the situation eased off. She said “the local media has stirred controversies over his writings in the past. A section of people was disgruntled and angry because of his works.” He was being portrayed as anti-Hindu by his critics, she said.

But the house was always welcoming of anyone who wanted to discuss and debate with the slain Kannada scholar. “We did know that those who don’t agree with his ideas and ideology will raise a voice against his works,” Roopdarshi said. “We never thought people would go to the extent of killing him.”

In the 12th century, the Brahmins burnt Basavanna’s vachanas and, for the longest period of time, the literature was not known to the Lingayat community. It was PH Halkatti, known as the Pitamaha of vachanas, who collected 6,500 of Basavanna’s vachanas. “My father took the responsibility of collecting those vachanas, translating them and making them accessible for the common masses,” she said. “What happened with Basavanna and his followers was repeated with my father.”

When asked about whether they hold any organisation or ideology responsible for the murder, Umadevi said, “Truth will be known only when the person who killed him reveals why he did it and under whose instructions. Till then, we don’t want to accuse anyone.”

The murder has left its mark though. Even though politicians visit the house, Umadevi said, none of them attended any rally or procession taken out to protest against the murder.

The political narrative in Karnataka is charged up right now – with the Congress and the BJP at each other’s throats. While the Congress is supporting the followers of Basavanna, the BJP is accusing that those behind the minority status movement are trying to divide the society. “I don’t think any of the politicians have deeply read his ideas and thoughts,” Umadevi said, otherwise their narrative wouldn’t have been what it is right now.

The family avoids taking a political stand. “My husband looked into work, not political parties. He has worked under all governments – the Janata Dal (Secular ), the BJP and the Congress. What was important to him was his ideas.”