CHITRADURGA: Giving the BJP an ultimatum to give a constitutional touch to enhanced reservation by January 30, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the Congress will take to the streets if it fails to do so. At the SC/ST convention here, he said the Central government should bring in necessary modifications to the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to increase reservation for SCs from 15 to 17 per cent, and for STs from 3 to 7 per cent.
Questioning the BJP on the inordinate delay in implementing the Justice Nagmohan Das Committee recommendations, Siddaramaiah said the government made the announcement 2 years 10 months after the report was submitted in 2020. He also called the 10 per cent EWS reservation “illegal”, saying it is to be given only for the oppressed sections.
Former Union minister of state Anantkumar Hegde has said the BJP has come to power just to change the Constitution, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have remained silent, he said. Meanwhile, KPCC president DK Shivakumar said he is confident the Congress will win 136 seats. Requesting the public to take a pledge to form the Congress government in Karnataka and at the national level, he said at the SC/ST Aikyatha Samavesha,”The party is very strong at the village and booth level, and the 10 declarations adopted at Chitradurga show we are committed for the uplift of the SC/ST community.”
Calling upon society to protect the Constitution, he said the BJP plays on emotional issues, however, Congress wants to build a strong country in which equality prevails. “Don’t get drawn by the lies of BJP. They have not kept any assurances,” he warned. He alleged that the BJP is misguiding and creating confusion on the reservation issue.
Recalling the success of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, he spoke of other party rallies too -- Mekedatu Padayatra, Siddaramaiah’s 75-year walk, Mahadayi, Krishna water struggle and Aikyatha Samavesha. The Congress is organising a programme to strengthen woman power in Karnataka, and two women will be selected from each panchayat. Discussions will be considered while drafting a separate manifesto for women.