BELAGAVI: Even as the government is grappling to cope with the issue of including Panchamsalis in the 2-A reservation category, a delegation of Vokkaligas comprising several top leaders of the BJP met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Belagavi, demanding an increase in reservation quota for Vokkaligas in the state on Friday.
The government is not only getting sandwiched under pressure between the two dominant communities but is also faced with the dilemma of more communities from different parts of the state raising pitch for reservations if it bows down.
The delegation of Vokkaligas who met the CM comprised Ministers R Ashok, C S Ashwathnarayan, Araga Jnanendra, K Gopalaiah, S T Somashekhar, Sudhakar, Dr Narayanagouda and several MLAs from Vokkaliga community.
After the meeting, R Ashok defended the demand of Vokkaligas contending that the community formed 16 per cent of the total population in the state. "The government should increase the quota of reservation for Vokkaligas from 4 to 12 per cent and include the sub-sects of the community like Bunts, Reddys and Kunchitagaru under the OBC category," he said.
He underlined the need for uniting all the scattered sub-sects of the Vokkaligas community and said the BJP government would help the community to unite. "The CM assured the delegation of making a sincere attempt to fulfil Vokkaligas demands," he said.
Without referring to the way Panchamsalis are exerting pressure and setting deadlines before the government for inclusion of the community in the 2A category, Ashok said, "We have not created furore nor threatened (the government) while raising our demands. We all legislators will join hands and try to ensure justice to the Vokkaliga community,'' he said.
While stating that CM Basavaraj Bommai and former CM B S Yediyurappa were in support of the Vokkaliga community, Ashok said the government released funds for the construction of Kempegouda's statue in front of Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru.
Minister Ashwathnarayan said the State Vokkaligas Association demanded reservation on the basis of its population. Owing to urbanisation in South Karnataka, he said, many Vokkaligas lost their lands and that the cases of suicide were on the rise due to losses people suffered in agriculture.
'Report sent for revision to BCC'
After meeting Vokkaliga leaders, Chief Minister Basavaj Bomai said a report on giving reservations to various communities had already been sent to the Backward Classes Commission and the government would take necessary measures once the commission revised the report.
The Vokkaliga community demanded an increase in reservation quota for them and also wanted reservations in jobs and education, he said.