Panchamasalis stage stir outside CM’s house over quota demand

Protesters burnt the effigy of the CM and raised slogans against the government. Hundreds of people gathered on the outskirts of Shiggaon and blocked National Highway-48, disrupting traffic.

Members of the Panchamasali community on Friday staged a massive protest at chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s in his home constituency Shiggaon in Haveri district, demanding reservation under the 2A category.

Panchamasali community staged a massive protest at chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s in his home constituency Shiggaon . (PTI)

Protesters burnt the effigy of the CM and raised slogans against the government. Hundreds of people gathered on the outskirts of Shiggaon and blocked National Highway-48, disrupting traffic.

Kudalasangama Peetha seer Jaya Mruthynjaya Swamiji, who has been leading the protests, reminded CM Bommai’s promise by “swearing on his mother” to provide appropriate reservation to the community.

“The government has cheated us. We were called by the chief minister and told that in a week, we would get a reservation. He (chief minister Bommai) swore on his mother. Then they (the government) gave us (2) D group. But this doesn’t come under the law. They haven’t announced what percentage of reservations we will get or how much the Panchamasali community will get. We have already rejected this proposal on January 5,” said

“Unhappy with this negligence towards the community, we have decided to hold a protest outside the chief minister’s house. We will soon announce how we will take the protest forward soon,” he said.

Addressing a gathering, Vijayapura Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal attacked leaders of his party and termed the CM as a ‘liar.’

“Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai is lying. CM had sworn on his mother to give us a reservation under the 2A category, I had believed him, but he did not keep his promise. I had believed that Bommai might not lie as much as Yediyurappa, but now Bommai is lying more than Yediyurappa. Bommai is playing games with us along with Yediyurappa. People of the state will teach them a lesson in the next elections.” Yatnal charged.

“We don’t have confidence in this CM. I will inform everything to our central leaders,” the Vijayapura MLA added.

The demonstration comes a day after the Karnataka high court ordered an interim stay on the state government’s decision to create a separate (Other Backward Class) OBC category for Vokkaligas and Lingayats and provide reservations in education and government jobs.

A division bench headed by chief justice PB Varale stayed the new categories and asked the government to maintain the status quo in the matter of OBC reservations.

The court’s decision came during the hearing of a PIL (public interest litigation) by Raghavendra DG challenging the creation of the new categories. It has adjourned the matter till January 30.

The two dominant communities -- Vokkaliga and Panchamasalis -- which are in 3A and 3B categories have been demanding reservations under 2A status, and the government decided to abolish 3A and 3B categories.

In the recently concluded winter session of the state assembly in Belagavi, the government announced the creation of two new categories: 2C and 2D, to include the Lingayats and Vokkaligas in the reservations. Since the announcement, the Panchamasali caste of the Lingayats has been demanding inclusion in the 2A category, which has 15% reservation.

The petitioner argued that if other dominant communities are added to 2A, it would affect his community’s interest. “The amount of pressure mounted on the first respondent has seriously affected the morale of the people coming under Category 2-A in general and the petitioner’s caste in particular,” said the petition.

Reacting to the protests, BJP spokesperson S Prakash said that the BJP government is keeping a close watch on the development. “The government will appeal against the HC order soon,” he said.