The reservation quota dispute in Karnataka escalated as the Backward Classes Awareness Forum on Sunday issued a notice to Kudalasangama Panchamasali Mutt seer Basava Jayamrutynjaya and warned him to cease his protests against reservation as it would affect the backward class quota.
In the notice issued by Backward Classes Awareness Forum president KS Shivaramu condemned the agitation led by the Panchamasali Lingayats for reservation under the 2A category, a classification that currently provides 15% reservation to various backward castes.
Shivaramu accused the seer of provoking violence and attempting to divide communities. “We respect the saffron dress, but you should preserve it. The seer is acting like a puppet of the BJP and conspiring to unseat chief minister Siddaramaiah,” he said in the notice. He also criticised the seer for acting as a political leader, claiming, “He is unfit to be a seer.”
In response, senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said the BJP has not sought to deny any community their benefits meant for the backward communities. “We have said no to 2A category from the beginning because there are 104 communities already benefiting from it. We have not asked for anything that would be injustice to the backward classes,” he said on Sunday.
Accusing the Congress leaders of fuelling the controversy, he said: “The proposal for 2A category was made by a former Congress MLA, now a sitting MLA. The MLA who promised 15% reservation to Panchamasalis if their government came to power is now adding fuel to the fire.”
{{/usCountry}}Accusing the Congress leaders of fuelling the controversy, he said: “The proposal for 2A category was made by a former Congress MLA, now a sitting MLA. The MLA who promised 15% reservation to Panchamasalis if their government came to power is now adding fuel to the fire.”
{{/usCountry}}Basava Jayamrutynjaya seer, addressing reporters in Belagavi, lashed out at Siddaramaiah for calling the Panchamasali reservation agitation “unconstitutional”. He described Siddaramaiah’s stance as an insult to the Lingayat community and Basavanna’s followers.
“The chief minister’s statement shows his aversion to the Lingayat community. If he believes the agitation is unconstitutional, he should suspend Congress leaders who participated in it,” the seer demanded. He also accused the government of attempting to derail the reservation movement by invoking Ambedkar and the Constitution.
The Panchamasali Lingayats have been demanding inclusion in the 2A category, which provides 15% reservation for backward communities. Currently, Lingayats, including the Panchamasali sect with low incomes, are classified under the 3B category, which includes Christians and others.
Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa on Sunday criticised the state government over the lathi charge by police on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters in Belagavi. The police said that they had to use force against the protesters when they attempted to breach the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha while protesting for their demand for their inclusion in the 2A category.
Calling the incident an act of arrogance by the Siddaramaiah-led government, Vijayendra said, “The police lathi-charged peaceful protesters, including farmers and Hindus, under the CM’s instructions. This is the height of arrogance.”
He also slammed the government for not apologising in the legislature, alleging that the police acted under explicit directions from the chief minister and home minister.
Defending the police action, Siddaramaiah said: “The law is the same for everyone. The Panchamasali seer violated it.” He urged the community to take their demands to the permanent backward classes commission instead of resorting to protests.
Siddaramaiah reiterated that his government was committed to following due process on the issue of reservations.