Vokkaligas, Lingayats share in Reservation - IE - 31/12/22

Context:
Recently, Karnataka has categorized the two dominant communities, Vokkaligas and Lingayats, as “moderately backward” from the “backward” category in a move that could increase their share in reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Relevance:
GS2
About:
-->Key Points of the Move:
-Karnataka currently has 32% quota for OBC, and 17% and 7% quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, respectively, taking the total to 56%.
-The Panchamasali sub-sect of Veerashaiva Lingayats has demanded inclusion in the 2A category which has 15% quota from their current 3B category which has 5% quota.
-The Cabinet’s decision is based on the recommendations of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes.
-The Vokkaliga community, which is currently in the 3A category, will be moved to a newly-created 2C category with 4% reservation. And the Lingayat community, which is in the 3B category, will now be in a new 2D category with 5% reservation.

-->Lingayats:
-The term Lingayat denotes a person who wears a personal linga, an iconic form of god Shiva, on the body which is received during the initiation ceremony. Lingayats are the followers of the 12th-century social reformer-philosopher poet, Basaveshwara. Basaveshwara was against the caste system and Vedic rituals.
-The Lingayats are strict monotheists. They enjoin the worship of only one God, namely, Linga (Shiva).

-->Vokkaligas:
-It is even believed that the Rashtrakutas and Western Gangas were of Vokkaliga origin.
-Vokkaliga is a category defined in terms of occupation, and to that extent could be an ethnic category; these are largely farmers by origin.
-The Vokkaliga caste originates in the Indian state of Karnataka. In the former princely state of Mysore, the Vokkaligas were the largest community.

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