Siddaramaiah threatens to protest over reservation issue

The former CM suggested that the Union government would be well-advised to call an all-party meet on this issue.
Former CM Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha on Monday | Nagaraja Gadekal
Former CM Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha on Monday | Nagaraja Gadekal

BENGALURU: A day after senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge threatened to launch an agitation against the government over the issue of reservation, Opposition leader in the assembly Siddaramaiah said that the Congress will agitate against the efforts to dilute reservation.  

“I do not trust this BJP government, but I do trust the courts,’’ Siddaramaiah said, adding, “It is a constitutional issue and the Union government has to appeal against it before a larger bench of the court, and the matter needs to be taken up by a nine-judge constitutional bench.’’

The former CM suggested that the Union government would be well-advised to call an all-party meet on this issue. He said that reservation is a fundamental right and reservation in promotions is important when vacancies have not been filled through direct recruitment.

He sarcastically noted how one person belonging to the ruling party said he wants to burn the Constitution, while another wants to alter it. “Let Yediyurappa touch his heart and tell the people how much he spent in getting these new legislators elected,” he said, and noted, “How can CM give us a good government with such defectors?’’

Reminded about minister B C Patil and others hitting back at him for making a similar remarks, he said, “Have they defected to the BJP or not? Then the matter is settled isn’t it?’’

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