Will study report for SC tag to Madivala sect: Bommai
CHITRADURGA: In a veiled attack on Congress, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday questioned the party’s silence on the Ethnological Study Report on washermen community (Madivala/Dhobi) conducted by the prof Annapurna on giving Scheduled Caste status to the community.
Addressing the washermen community on ‘Kayaka Dina’ organised by the Madivala Machideva Gurupeet, he said, “Despite the Congress government receiving the report eight years back, they failed to take any decision.”
It was former chief minister BS Yediyurappa who appointed Prof Annapurna for studies on the washermen community, and appointed Shankarappa as MLC, and chairman of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, he said.
Washermen community leader Raghu Koutilya was defeated twice, but he was made the chairman of Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd and Raju Talluru has been appointed the chairman of the Karnataka Madivala Machideva Development Corporation, he said.
Funds will be released under the Kayaka Yojana in 2023 for technical upgradation of the dhobi ghats, education will be provided to the children of the washermen community, and funds will also be provided to equip them for self-employment, he said. All the dhobi ghats across cities in the state will be mechanised and industrial washing machines will be installed. He assured special assistance to the community in the 2023 budget.
Eight dhobi ghats in Bengaluru have received heavy-duty industrial washing machines, he said. Bommai said that the government will conduct a detailed study of the report, and while giving reservation to the Madivala community, other communities will not face injustice.
He also promised that the financial aid to Karnataka Madivala Mahcideva Development Corporation will be hiked in 2023. Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa was conferred the Madivala Machideva Award for 2022 in recognition of his contributions for the development of the community. Dr Basava Machideva Swamiji presided over the programme.