BENGALURU: Even as Panchamasali Lingayat seer Jaya Mrityunjaya Swamiji has intensified the protest demanding the 2A tag for the community, differences of opinion among community leaders and BJP’s non-committal stand have turned setbacks for the movement. The debate is now centred around whether the community should pursue the 2A or 2D tag.
BJP, which wants the Hindu block undivided for its long-term plan, seems to have realised that batting for the cause of one community, which anyway supports the saffron party, could invite the backlash of other backward class communities, sources said.
That was the reason why party senior leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal clarified that the community will no more demand the 2A tag from the state government, but will fight for the 2D tag in the Supreme Court.
He meant that the community will pursue the matter as decided by the previous Basavaraj Bommai government on reallocation of quota by scrapping 4% reservation for Muslims, who were entitled under 2B.
The 4% quota had been shared equally among Lingayats under 2D by abolishing 3B and Vokkaligas under 2C by abolishing 3A by raising their portion of their reservation from 5% to 7% and 4% to 6%, respectively. Lingayats, including Panchamasalis, Marathas, Bunts and Christians benefit from 3B and Yatnal wishes not to disturb the arrangement.
A Muslim group had challenged the Bommai government’s decision in the Supreme Court, which ordered a status quo, and the then government had filed an affidavit. Now, Yatnal likes to pursue the matter in the Supreme Court on scrapping the 4 per cent quota for Muslims.
Though BJP does not want its Hindu vote bank divided, it has taken up the Panchamasali issue as Congress had promised to consider the 2A tag for Panchamasalis when it was in opposition, but has made a U-turn with CM Siddaramaiah asserting that the community’s demand is ‘unconstitutional’, sources said.