BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that the Scheduled Tribes quota has to be at least doubled if the Kuruba community has to be included in the ST category. The ST reservation can be increased from existing 7% to 14 % or even 20%, and no one will oppose such a move, the CM said.
Speaking at the Valmiki Jayanti celebrations in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said that the then BJP government headed by Basavaraj Bommai had recommended to the Centre to include the Kuruba Community under the ST category. The Centre has now sought some clarifications about it, he said.
“I had not made that recommendation (to include Kuruba in ST), and it was done by the BJP government. If the Kuruba community is to be added to the ST, the quota has to be increased depending on the population of the Valmiki and Kuruba communities,” he said. Siddaramaiah said the BJP government had made the recommendation to the Centre based on the demand by former Deputy CM KS Eshwarappa.
In many states, the population of STs is more and the quota has been increased proportionately to their population, the CM said. Siddaramaiah also made it clear that a decision to include any community in the ST can only be taken by the Union Government, and not the state government.
Trying to allay concerns from the Valmiki community leaders, the CM said they (the Kuruba community) will not try to take the benefits provided to other communities.
The Valmiki community is opposing the Kuruba community’s demand for inclusion in the ST, as that would hinder the progress of the community.
Siddaramaiah listed out welfare measures taken by his government and asked people from the Valmiki community to standby those who worked for the welfare of people of the community.
The CM further said leaders from the ST Nayaka community will be included in his cabinet in the next reshuffle.