SHIVAMOGGA: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister and Kuruba leader K S Eshwarappa said on Monday that they plan to approach the Central government seeking ST tag for the community. “The community leaders will submit memorandums to the state government, and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in this regard,” he said.
He told the media persons that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had sanctioned grants for the Kuruba community and also declared a holiday on Kanaka Jayanthi. The Kuruba Meesalati Horata Samiti will meet the CM before approaching the Centre as the issue has to be decided in the cabinet, he added.
Eshwarappa, who is in the forefront of the agitation, said the Kuruba community is included in the Scheduled Tribe list in four districts – Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir and Kodagu. Now, the committee demands that it be extended across the state.
Terming the Kuruba convention in Bengaluru on Sunday as historic and a great success, Eshwarappa said the gathering wished to see all their community leaders, including former CM Siddaramaiah, with seers Eshwarananda and Niranjanananda on one platform. “I telephoned and invited him (Siddaramaiah), but he did not come. Had he joined us in our fight, it would have made the community happier,” he said.
Referring to Siddaramaiah’s allegation that the RSS had sanctioned funds for the convention, Eshwarappa said, “It was the people from the community who donated funds to organise the mega convention, not RSS leaders.”
“The community made Siddaramaiah CM and he should extend his support to the struggle. Except Siddaramaiah, all leaders of different parties participated in the convention for a common cause, keeping aside their political differences,” he said.“Due to the blessings and leadership of seers Eshwarananda and Niranjanananda, we managed to hold the padayatra and the convention in a disciplined manner,” he said.