The Kalaburagi district unit of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha has urged Lingayats to register their religion as Veerashaiva Lingayat under the Others column in the ongoing socio, economic and educational survey that began on Monday.Mahasabha district president Sharankumar Modi addressing presspersons here on Monday appealed to the Lingayat community to mark themselves as Veerashaiva Lingayat under Others in the religion column. He also advised that they mention themselves as Hindus in the religion column.With lack of clarity still persisting over the issue, Mr. Modi said that the mahasabha has left to the discretion of the Veerashaiva Lingayat community how they register themselves as, under the Religion column.In the caste column, he asked the community members to register themselves as Veerashaiva, Lingayat or Veerashaiva Lingayat and then, specify their respective sub-castes in the given column.Mr. Modi reiterated that the mahasabha has been trying for decades to get religion status for Veerashaiva Lingayat but the Union government has not yet considered the demand.He said that Veerashaiva Lingayats will be demanding a religion code for their community in the 16th national census scheduled to begin in October 2026. The mahasabha will press for a code number or a column or abbreviation for recording their religion as Veerashaiva Lingayat in the census form and demand recognition as independent religion.Replying to a question, Mr. Modi said that both Veerashaivas and Lingayats are one and the same and efforts will continue to secure religion status for Veerashaiva Lingayat.Published - September 22, 2025 07:01 pm IST