BENGALURU: Over the past few months, various communities have been demanding reservation or an increase in reservation, and even a change in quota category, putting the Karnataka government in a tight spot. Seers of a many communities have set out on padayatras and are holding conventions to keep up pressure on the government. The Kuruba community held a convention in Bengaluru earlier this week, seeking ST tag, and set off a slew of demands from other communities.
Currently, at least eight communities are demanding a change in reservation category or more benefits under the existing category. Experts point out that if their demands are met, many more will crop up.
In Karnataka, 101 castes come under Schedule Caste, 53 castes under Schedule Tribe and 207 castes under Other Backward Class. While many castes haven’t got reservation, castes which already come under reservation are coming out in large numbers, demanding more benefits.
The Kurubas, that come under 2A category, are demanding that the State government bring it under ST category. Under the leadership of Niranjananandapuri swami of Kaginele mutt, community members walked for 21 days to reach Bengaluru and hold a convention.
The Valmiki community held a rally in Davanagere recently to demanded an increase in reservation from 3.5% to 7.5%. CM B S Yediyurappa attended the convention, and promised to hike the ST reservation by March, as Valmiki seer Prasannananda Swami had threatened go on a hunger strike. The rally was attended by heavyweight BJP ministers B Sriramulu and Ramesh Jarkiholi.
There is now a fresh demand from the Lingayats -- a community convention is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on Saturday, with seers of various mutts in attendance. The Panchamasali community, which comes under 3B, is demanding that it be included under 2A. Koodalasangama Mutt seer Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami is leading a padayatra from Koodalasangama to Bengaluru, where a huge convention is planned on February 21. Interestingly, the Idigas, who come under 2A category, are demanding that the State government should not include Panchamasalis under 2A.
The Justice H N Nagamohan Das Commission was formed to look into demands for increasing reservation percentage for SCs and STs. Justice Das told TNIE that providing reservation as demanded will not solve the issue, and instead, only aggravate it. The government should focus on the neglected sector and provide reservation, and this needs political will, he added.
Panchamasalis to hold mega rally at BIEC on Feb 21
Tumakuru: Over 10 lakh Lingayat Panchamasali community members from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are expected to gather at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) on Tumakuru Road in Bengaluru on February 21 as part of their struggle seeking 2A reservation for the community. Religious heads of the community will reach Bengaluru on February 18 and take out a padayatra in select areas. Sri Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swamiji of the community, after holding a meeting of the community leaders here on Wednesday evening, clarified that the plan to lay siege to Vidhana Soudha has been dropped as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has promised to give 2A tag to the community.