E-Paper
Karnataka CM’s remark on Kuruba ST inclusion sparks row
The chief minister was responding to concerns from the Nayaka community, which has opposed the expansion.
The longstanding debate over the state’s ST reservation policy was reignited after chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the overall quota for Scheduled Tribes (STs) must be expanded to accomodate all the communities already eligible for benefits if the Kuruba community, to which he belongs himself, was included in the state’s ST list.
“If Kurubas are included in the ST category, the overall ST quota must be increased. I fully support this. No one should encroach on anyone else’s rights or take away opportunities -- this is my firm commitment,” Siddaramaiah said while addressing Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti celebrations at Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday night.
The chief minister was responding to concerns from the Nayaka community, which has opposed the move, fearing that adding Kurubas would reduce their share within the existing 7% reservation for STs.
Siddaramaiah clarified that the proposal to include Kurubas in the ST list originated during the previous BJP government under Basavaraj Bommai, following a recommendation from former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa. “The Centre has sought clarifications on the proposal, and this is currently known to the state government,” he said.
Tracing the history of reservation demands in Karnataka, he recounted earlier efforts to include both Valmiki and Kuruba communities in the ST category. He said that during the tenure of late chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde, he and senior Congress leader and former minister V S Ugrappa had requested the inclusion of the two communities, though it was not implemented at the time. “Later, through coordination with former prime minister H D Deve Gowda during Chandrashekhar’s tenure, the Valmiki community was included in the ST list,” he said, adding that Ugrappa had played a crucial role in securing reservations for the Valmiki, Beda and Nayaka communities.
However, the event took a dramatic turn when Ugrappa, himself from the Valmiki community, publicly warned Siddaramaiah against supporting the Kuruba demand. Addressing the gathering, Ugrappa said, “Let Kurubas come, Gollas come, Besthas come. While coming, get your plates and rice. You can sit with us and eat. But if you put your hands on our plates, I will stand with the people and fight as their voice. This is my warning.”
Ugrappa said that the inclusion of new groups must follow the constitutional process laid out in Article 341, which requires an anthropological study to establish tribal characteristics before a community can be added to the ST list. “If they have tribal characteristics and are socially and educationally backward, they can be recommended, not once but ten times,” he said.
Recalling past efforts, Ugrappa noted that both Kurubas and Nayakas had made unsuccessful attempts to secure ST status twice before 1991. “When Chandrashekhar was the Prime Minister, I, along with H D Deve Gowda, highlighted the tribal characteristics of the Nayakas, and our community was added to the ST list,” he said.
In a pointed remark directed at Siddaramaiah, Ugrappa cautioned, “Power is not permanent, Siddaramaiah. One day you too will become a former chief minister. Just as D Devaraj Urs and Indira Gandhi identified and supported leaders from all communities, you should do the same if you want your legacy to continue.”
Responding to Ugrappa’s comments, Siddaramaiah denied initiating the move to include Kurubas in the ST list. “I wasn’t the one who fought for providing ST tag to Kurubas. It was K S Eshwarappa. At that time, Basavaraj Bommai was the chief minister in the BJP government. Now it has just come for clarification,” he said.
The chief minister also argued that if the Kurubas are eventually included, the overall ST quota must be expanded in line with population ratios, citing examples from other states. “In states like Orissa, Mizoram, and Nagaland, reservation for STs is higher in proportion to their population. If the Centre decides to include Kurubas, the quota here should be raised from 7% to 14, 15, or even 20%,” he said.
