BENGALURU: Various Kannada organisations staged protests across the state on Monday, demanding job reservation in the private sector for Kannadigas.
Speaking to the media after meeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Rakshane Vedike (KRV) president Narayana Gowda said that the former has assured them of implementing the recommendations of the Sarojini Mahishi report providing job reservations to Kannadigas in the private sector, and will soon call for a meeting with legal experts to take the matter to its logical conclusion.
KRV and other Kannada organisations took out a rally in Bengaluru.
“The CM told us that he is not going to compromise on Kannada. He said that his government is pro-Kannada. He responded positively to our demand,” Gowda said.
The KRV leader said there has been a demand to implement the Sarojini Mahishi recommendations for the last four decades to provide 100% job reservation for C and D cadres in the private sector and 80% for A and B cadres.
“The report also specifies that those who have resided in Karnataka for the last 15 years should be given tests in Kannada, and if they pass the exams, they can be given a job.” We have explained the same to the CM,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Gowda, who took part in the protest, warned the police that if they tried to stop them, their protest would turn violent.
“We have called for a peaceful protest. We have given one month’s time to the State Government to implement the Sarojini Mahishi report. If they fail to do so, then our protest will turn violent,” he said.
The agitators suggested to the government that the licenses of companies that do not follow the reservation rules be cancelled and land and other benefits granted to them be withdrawn.
Reacting to this, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said that the government does not have any issue with peaceful protests, and that one should not take the law into their own hands.
Several Sandalwood actors, including Prem and Pooja Gandhi, extended support for the protest.