Reservation issue: Karnataka Backward Caste Federation warns CM Siddaramaiah of statewide stir

Bengaluru, Dec 11 (IANS) The members of Karnataka Backward Caste Federation met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum with a warning that if Panchamasali Lingayats are given reservation under the 2A Category, they would resort to a statewide stir.

The members urged the CM that the demand by the Panchamasali Lingayat sect must not be considered under any circumstances.

K.M. Ramachandrappa, the President of the Federation stated the Panchamasali Lingayats are availing the reservation facility under the 3B Category. The community members are staging protests and pressuring the government to provide reservations under the 2A Category to get the benefit of a reservation of 15 per cent given to backward classes.

"Panchamasali Lingayat sect is academically, socially, economically and politically progressed. Dr. Naganagouda Committee, L.G. Havanur Committee, Venkataswamy Backward Classes Second Commission report, Justice O. Chinnappa Reddy report have found that Panchamasali Lingayat sect is a forward or progressed community," he stated.

"If the Panchamasali Lingayats are included in the 2A Category, the most backward castes such as Agasa, Savita Samaj, Tigala, Ediga, Kuruba, Devanga and other castes won’t get reservations. The Panchamasali Lingayat sect will get all the benefits and reservations in employment, education and politics," he said.

"In this background, the federation urged the state government not to include the Panchamasali Lingayats into the 2A Category. If the state government takes steps to include them, fierce agitation would be taken up all over the state," Ramachandrappa warned.

The agitation by the Panchamasali Lingayat community turned violent when the members attempted to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Tuesday.

BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra visited the protesters and met Jagadguru Sri Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swamiji, who is leading the agitation. Vijayendra pledged full support for the Panchamasali protest in Belagavi.

The seer has said that the community leaders are being "threatened" by the Congress government in Karnataka to suppress the agitation. The seer had warned that if anything went wrong, there would be a "blood revolution" in the state.

Following the violence, Karnataka BJP claimed on Tuesday that the state government has deliberately suppressed the Panchamasali "movement" in Belagavi.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy reacted, "It is extremely unfortunate that the Congress government in Karnataka has chosen to act like Adolf Hitler to suppress the struggle of the Panchamasali community."

Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basavaraj Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami speaking to media soon after the Tuesday violence said that the Karnataka government is trying to sideline the Panchamasali protests. “Siddaramaiah is responsible for the violence. We will strategise our future protests. The government will have to face the consequences for today’s highhandedness,” claimed the seer.