MYSURU: Even as the new Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is yet to take final shape, heads of various mutts in the state have begun raising demands to increase the reservation quota for their respective communities.
Recently, Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami of the Lingayat Panchamashali Peetha at Kudalasangama had “reminded” the State Government of the September 15 deadline for it to consider according 2A category status for the community.
Now, Sri Prasannananda Puri Swami of Valmiki Gurupeetha has demanded that the government increase reservation for the Valmiki community from the present 3.5 per cent to 7 per cent. He expressed displeasure over the previous BS Yediyurappa government for not increasing reservation for the community based on the recommendations of the Justice H N Nagamohan Das Committee. He said that Yediyurappa had assured them of addressing their concerns, but betrayed them and is now “relaxing at home.”
The mutt also plans to hold a mega rally in Bengaluru to send out a strong message to both the Union and the State Governments. He said the community will also oppose government acquiring land in localities dominated by SCs and STs.
“We are the fourth largest community in the state, but we have not got adequate representation in the new Cabinet. Lingayats have got 8 ministers and Vokkaligas seven. But only one Nayaka has been made a minister. We want at least three ministers from the community,” he insisted.
The seer said that those pointing to the 50 per cent upper limit on reservations have not implemented the Supreme Court’s directives of providing reservation in education and employment to landless SCs and STs. Stressing on the need for unity among the Nayakas, he said that their decades-old struggle has forced the government include Parivaras and Talawaras in the ST list.