BENGALURU: Over two months after they intensified their agitation demanding inclusion of the community under 2A reservation category, Panchamasali Lingayat seers on Monday called off their agitation after an assurance from Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa of taking appropriate action after getting reports from the Backward Classes Commission and the three-member committee constituted by the State Government.
“We have sought reports from the commission and three-member committee headed by a former High Court judge. We will try to get the reports within 6-7 months and then take appropriate action,” Yediyurappa said in the Assembly, while responding to BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal’s demand for his statement on the issue. He appealed to seers to call off their agitation and cooperate with the government.
Yatnal complimented Yediyurappa for his assurance and informed the Assembly that they would request the seers to end the protest. Soon after, Yatnal, Minister C C Patil, CM’s Political Secretary and MLA MP Renukacharya and others met Panchamasali seer Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami at the protest venue, and conveyed Yediyurappa’s message.
“We have temporarily withdrawn the strike after the CM’s assurance in the Assembly that they will get the report in six months and take appropriate action. This is the first victory and we are fully confident of ensuring that the community will be included in 2A category,” said Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami.On Sunday, the seer had asked the CM to announce the government’s decision by Monday evening, or admit that the government is not in a position to consider the demand.
After a 712-km ‘padayatra’, the seer and his followers have been protesting at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park for the past 23 days. The community is demanding their inclusion in 2A (15% reservation) category from the current 3B (5% reservation) category. “If the government fails to take a decision within six months, we will organise a massive Lingayat-Panchamasali meet to be attended by 20 lakh people,” the seer said, adding that they have full faith in CM Yediyurappa.
Renukacharya said the agitation was called off after the CM’s assurance. “We will again launch an agitation if the government fails to fulfil our demand within six months,” said former MLA and Lingayat Panchamasali Mahasabha president Vijayanand Kashappanavar, who is at the forefront of the agitation.
With a number of communities demanding a change in reservation categories, the State Government has formed a three-member committee headed by former High Court judge Justice Subhash B Adi to look into the demands and submit a report.