Udupi : Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt said on Wednesday that Pandithacharya Shivacharya Swami of Sanehalli Mutt should realise that Lingayat was part of broader Hindu religion.

In a press release here, the seer said that he did not want any split in the Hindu religion. He had high regards for Lingayat and also social reformer Sri Basaveshwara. It was only when there was talk of Lingayat being another religion that he stepped into the debate. “It is like brothers requesting another brother who wants to make a house for himself, to stay with them and not separate,” he said.

The seer said that he did not know when Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism had become religions. He thought that they had become religions because of the British policy of divide and rule. If he had known that they had become religions after Independence, he would have aired his opposition.

“Whatever be the differences among the religions in the country, it is necessary to overlook them. All religions born in India should be considered as Hindu religions. We should get organised and protect and develop our religions and culture. We should focus on the similarities in our religions rather than differences,” he said.

The seer said that if Lingayat became a religion, then those following Advaita, Dvaita and other schools of philosophy too may seek to become religions. This would lead to chaos and this may affect the unity of the country.

Lingayats and Veerashaivas should become united and so too should the Dalits and Backward Classes. “We should live together in harmony by including all different traditions and as allies of a broad Hindu religion,” he said.

There should be an integrated India which included Hindus, Muslims and Christians and everyone should live together in harmony, the seer said.