BELAGAVI: At a mega-convention of Panchamasalis held in Hukkeri on Friday, it was resolved that a mammoth rally of 25 lakh people will protest outside Vidhana Soudha on December 12 to press for their demand to be included in the 2A reservation category. Addressing the gathering, Basavajaya Mrityunjaya Swamy of Kudalasangama announced that the ongoing movement for reservation to Panchamsalis would soon reach its logical end.
“The Panchamasali community constitutes a majority 82 per cent of the Lingayat population. Yet it has been deprived of opportunities to get power. That is because the people of the community are kind hearted,’’ he said.
The seer said he has never demanded anything ever since he became the Peetadhyaksha of Kudalasangama, but would now give a call to Panchamasalis to join the struggle.The government should grant 2A reservation to the community on par with SC/STs, he said, adding that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should take a decision before the state Assembly elections are announced.
“The BJP rules at both the Centre and state which should make it easier for it to announce the reservation,” he said. Several leaders, cutting across party lines, took part in the convention. The seer asked Dharwad MLA Aravind Bellad to put pressure on the government to help expedite the process of getting reservation for the community. Belagavi MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar also spoke on the occasion.