Karnataka Backward Castes Federation to protest against Panchamasalis’ demand

BENGALURU:  Members of the Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation are planning a dharna in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on December 26, opposing the demand of Panchamasali Lingayats seeking 2A reservation.

The Federation has asked members from across the state to join the Soudha protest. “When Panchamasalis utilise the quota under 3B and also have the scope to use 50 per cent general quota, why are they eyeing 2A category, which is shared by 104 castes. We will protest if the government tries to include forward castes in the backward classes quota category,” said Federation General Secretary Ennegere R Venkataramaiah.

The protests will be across the state if the quota category is changed without any scientific study, he said, urging the government to release the socio-economic survey conducted by a committee headed by the then Karnataka Backward Classes Commission Chairman H Kantaraju. Karnataka has been conducting scientific studies before recateogorising quota. But well-to-do communities have been grabbing quota under Category 1 and 2 for political reasons, alleged Federation president KM Ramachandrappa.

“Under category 1, there are 95 castes for 4 per cent quota, while 2A has 15 per cent quota for 104 castes which is why Panchamasalis are trying to get that tag. In fact, it should go to the community of artisans, who have been deprived. Without a scientific study, reclassification of quotas is wrong,” said former chairman of the backward classes commission Dr CS Dwarakanth.

Seer’s carrot and stick for CM
“We will felicitate Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday if  he announces the reservation. Otherwise, we will lay siege to Suvarna Soudha,” said Basavajaya Mrutyunjaya Swami, seer of Panchamasali Peetha, at the ‘Virat Panchashakti Panchamsali Samavesh’ in Bastawad village near Suvarna Soudha on Wednesday.