NEW DELHI: The Centre seems unenthusiastic to nod Karnataka government’s decision to give Lingayats a separate religion status.

Govt. Sources said the Lingayats-issue was informally discussed among Union ministers at the cabinet meeting which is chaired by PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening. The majority view opposed the Congress government’s move on the ground that recognizing Veerashaiva-Lingayat as a separate religion would lead to disagreement of quota benefits to Dalits in the community.

Sources added minister for food and civil supplies Ram Vilas Paswan was among those who straight away pointed out that under the existing law, only Dalits belonging to Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh communities were entitled to quotas in jobs and educational institutions.

In the cabinet meeting the minister and BJP leader from Karnataka Ananth Kumar briefed about how UPA Govt had also turned down the proposal by the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha to allot religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva-Lingayats in 2013.

On Thursday, Paswan openly spelt out his disagreement and said, “There are people in this sect who are SCs and if Lingayat is identified as a separate religion, they will not get the benefits which are being availed by Scheduled Castes. Only SCs under Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist religions are eligible for reservation. So, why deprive them of the benefits?” Paswan asked.

The stand taken by the NDA supporter and Dalit leader is a big clue of how the government will take the battle ahead with the Congress, as it expects to get political dividends from this castism-move in the southern state.