In a significant move, the Congress government in poll-bound Karnataka today decided to recommend to the Centre to grant religious minority tag to the numerically strong and politically-influential Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.


Briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said it had accepted the recommendations of an expert panel set up by the state government on the issue.  


"The decision has been taken after deep deliberations and discussion...," he said.    


According to the expert panel, Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats are those who believed in the philosphy of Basaveshwara, 12th century social reformer, he said.    


Jayachandra said the decision would not affect the rights and interests enjoyed by the existing minorities.