New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to statesman, poet, and social reformer Basaveshwara on his birth anniversary on Sunday, stating that his ideas and thoughts inspire him to serve humanity. He tweeted, "Today, on the sacred occasion of Basava Jayanthi, I bow to Jagadguru Basaveshwara, whose thoughts and ideals give us the inspiration to serve humanity. He rightly emphasised on empowering the downtrodden and building a strong and prosperous society." Lingayatism's ascent is traditionally attributed to Basaveshwara, who opposed gender and caste bias.
Due to the intensive Karnataka assembly election campaign and the revered 12th century Kannadiga's birthday falling on the same day, both the governing BJP and the opposition Congress are making a big effort to mark the day in the state where Lingayats make up the majority of the community.—Inputs from Agencies