BENGALURU: The internal reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) has turned out to be a double-edged sword for the Congress government. Even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar are tackling differences between SC community leaders within Congress, court cases too have come in the way. If the issue is not resolved amicably, Congress will face political repercussions and adverse impact till the 2028 Assembly elections, giving opposition BJP a chance to harp on it, political analysts said.
Justice Nagmohan Das, chairman, Internal Reservation Commission for Scheduled Castes, had recommended internal reservation for SCs at 17%. As Justice Das met Shivakumar on Saturday, there was speculation that the two might have discussed filling up 56,432 posts in the government by applying the quota. But Justice Das denied any discussion on it.
Shivakumar at Thursday’s cabinet meeting had favoured internal reservation and he might have sought some suggestions from Justice Das ahead of the cabinet meeting on March 12, sources said.
When Ministers KH Muniyappa and RB Timmapur, both from the SC left Madiga community, met Shivakumar, he promised them that steps will be taken to implement internal quota to fill up vacancies.
But some leaders from the SC right community within Congress, including Bovi and Lambani, stress that internal quota cannot be implemented within the 15% reservation as the government is going back to 50% reservation, fearing legal challenges.
Its alleged that Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara and Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, SC right leaders, have their own reservations on the 15% quota as it will affect the SC right and other communities. They met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge recently and expressed their concern.
SC left leaders -- Muniyappa and Timmapur -- in the meantime, are worried that the SC left community would feel letdown if the internal quota implementation is delayed. Already, there are several cases in the court against increasing the quota to 56%. Any increase above the 50% cap should be protected under the Ninth Schedule like Tamil Nadu got it done for its 69% quota in 1994.
Now with Karnataka enhancing SC quota to 17% from 15% and ST quota to 7% from 3% along with 32% for OBCs, it has reached 56% and has no constitutional protection.
But it is also argued that since Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave his assent to the bill recently, the government can implement internal reservation at 15%. The government can consider 5.3% each for SC left and SC right and remaining 4.4%, out of 15%, to Bovis, Lambanis, Korachas, Koramas and other nomadic castes, a Congress leader suggested.
Will look into Maha extending benefits to B’gavi people: Justice Das
Justice H N Nagamohan Das, appointed chairperson of the Karnataka State Border and Rivers Protection Commission last week, said he has taken a serious note of the Maharashtra government reportedly doling out its welfare schemes to residents of Belagavi district.
“At a meeting held by my predecessor Justice Shivaraj Patil, Kannada activists brought it to his notice. I am studying the proceedings and also what future problems the state could face,” he told TNIE after calling on DCM DK Shivakumar.
He said issues of protecting the land and water, including heightening Almatti dam, were discussed with Shivakumar.
Water-sharing disputes concerning Palar and Pennar rivers should also be resolved, he said, adding that the commission will closely monitor the court cases.