March 2018, the Nagamohan Das committee advised "to form a separate religion status for the Lingayats community." In response, the Karnataka government approved this separate religious status, a decision which was decried by Veerashaivas. It recommended the Indian government to grant the religious minority status to the sect. Central NDA government does not took any decision on this. This is on hold status. Characteristics Lingayatism is often considered a Hindu sect. because it shares beliefs with Indian religions, and "their [Lingayats] beliefs are syncretistic and include an assemblage of many Hindu elements, including the name of their god, Shiva, who is one of the chief figures of the Hindu pantheon." Its worship is centred on Hindu god Shiva as the universal god in the iconographic form of Ishtalinga. They believe that they will be reunited with Shiva after their death by wearing the lingam. Ishtalinga Lingayat worship is centred on the Hindu god Shiva as the universal supreme being in the iconographic form of Ishtalinga. The Lingayats always wear the Ishtalinga held with a necklace. The Istalinga is made up of small blue-black stone coated with fine durable thick black paste of cow dung ashes mixed with some suitable oil to withstand wear and tear. The Ishtalinga is a symbolism for Lord Shiva. It is viewed as a "living, moving" divinity with the Lingayat devotee. Every day, the devotee removes this personal linga from its box, places it in left palm, offers puja and then meditates about becoming one with the linga, in his or her journey towards the atma-linga. Soteriology Shatsthala Lingayatism teaches a path to an individual's spiritual progress, and describes it as a six-stage Satsthalasiddhanta. This concept progressively evolves: the individual starts with the phase of a devotee, the phase of the master, the phase of the receiver of grace, Linga in life breath (god dwells in his or her soul), the phase of surrender (awareness of no distinction in god and soul, self), the last stage of complete union of soul and god (liberation, mukti). Thus bhakti progresses from external icon-aided loving devotional worship of Shiva to deeper fusion of awareness with abstract Shiva, ultimately to advaita (oneness) of one's soul and god for moksha. Mukti While they accept the concept of transmigration of soul (metempsychosis, reincarnation), they believe that Lingayats are in their last lifetime, and believe that will be reunited with Shiva after their