BENGALURU: Former Union minister and Kolar Lok Sabha member K H Muniyappa called upon the people of the Madiga community and Scheduled Castes to participate actively in the social and education census to be conducted by the state government from April 11.
He spoke to reporters after chairing a meeting of community leaders, which included Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya, former minister and BJP leader Govinda Karjol. “We have decided to create awareness among the Madiga community about the importance of the census,” he said.
Appealing to the Madiga people, considered as one of the most oppressed classes in the society, he said, “An opportunity has come to demonstrate the community’s strength of population in the state and their social and economic status.”
Calling upon all the Madiga organisations to come under one umbrella, the Adi Jambhava Organisation, he said, “There is a need to make collective efforts to get social justice for Madigas.”
Govinda Karjol said that it was resolved to demand a cabinet berth for a community member at the Centre by inducting six-time MP from Vijayapura Ramesh Jigajinagi.
“The meeting also resolved to appeal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to give another representation in his cabinet to the community members,” he added.
Recalling that in the past three persons from the Madiga community had served as the Chairman of the KPSC, he said, “It was also resolved to bring pressure on the chief minister to give another opportunity to a community member.”
Maintaining that the leaders of the community had met to discuss the problems being faced by the people of the community, he said, “The meeting was not against any other community or caste.”