BENGALURU: In a show of aggression, Panchamasali community members will protest outside Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s family house in his constituency Shiggaon of Haveri district at 9 am on Tuesday, seeking reservation.
Panchamsali Mutt pontiff Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya told The New Indian Express that there is no going back on the reservation demand and that a lakh Panchamsalis will gather at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Circle and march to Bommai’s residence to sit in a protest outside the house till 4 pm. They are holding the protest as the two-month deadline given by the state government expires on Tuesday. Panchamsalis have been seeking 2 A reservation which is accorded to extremely backward communities.
Political leaders, MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, AB Patil, Prakash Hukkeri, Vijayanand Kashappanavar and others, will join the protest, the seer said. Panchamsalis, who number over 50 lakh, are the single-largest influential group in the Lingayat community and are a deciding factor in around 80 constituencies. In Shiggaon, there are around 60,000 Panchamasalis and without their support, Bommai will find it difficult to win.
Last year, Panchamasalis marched from Kudalasangama to Bengaluru that culminated in a rally at Palace Grounds where about 15 lakh community members participated.
Panchamsalis are not pleased that the government has made no effort to accord them the reservation and is only giving them assurances. Though they have been protesting for the last two years, there is discomfort among BJP leaders as the election nears, and the latter hope that this anger would not affect the prospects of the party in the 2023 and 2024 elections. Nearly 80 per cent of Panchamasalis had supported BJP in previous elections.