Inclusion of Panchamsalis and other communities in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category should not be at the cost of communities, namely Billavas and Thiyas, which are claiming reservation under this category, said Mangaluru MLA U.T. Khader here on Saturday.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Khader said Billavas, Thiya, and Kulal communities from Dakshina Kannada are among the communities in the 2A category of OBC. If the demand of Panchamsalis for inclusion in the 2A OBC category is accepted, it will cause great injustice to Billavas and other communities, he said.
It was unfortunate that Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, and seven BJP MLAs from Dakshina Kannada are silent about the rights of OBCs who have been backing the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress will stand for the rights of all OBCs, he said.
The MLA said it was strange that the State government has given the task of studying the claims of the Panchamsalis to a high-level committee instead of asking the State Backward Classes Commission, which is mandated to study such issues.
While asking the State government not to cut down funds related to scholarship and welfare schemes for the minorities, SCs/STs, and OBCs, Mr. Khader said the government should actually stop appointing chairpersons for new boards and corporations. The government should take up works to generate revenue and work towards getting its share of taxes from the Union government.
