New K’taka Cabinet may help Cong revive AHINDA: Experts

The BJP’s decision to follow a dominant-caste strategy, reflected in the replacement of BS Yediyurappa with Basavaraj Bommai – both Lingayats – as the Karnataka chief minister last month, has made it more conducive for opposition parties and leaders to cash in on efforts at mobilising the extremely backward communities in the state, people aware of the developments said

The BJP’s decision to follow a dominant-caste strategy, reflected in the replacement of BS Yediyurappa with Basavaraj Bommai – both Lingayats – as the Karnataka chief minister last month, has made it more conducive for opposition parties and leaders to cash in on efforts at mobilising the extremely backward communities in the state, people aware of the developments said.

Former chief minister and Congress’s leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah, who came to power riding on his AHINDA strategy in the 2013 state assembly elections, is most likely to benefit from the regrouping of backward classes, the people said. (PTI)

Former chief minister and Congress’s leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah, who came to power riding on his AHINDA strategy in the 2013 state assembly elections, is most likely to benefit from the regrouping of backward classes, the people said.

AHINDA is the Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits.

Experts say the environment is conducive to mobilise the support of smaller and marginalised groups, which due to their numbers have the potential to become deciding factors in close election contests.

The efforts for mobilisation include taking the legal route to bring pressure on the Bommai government to release the findings of the Social and Educational Survey-2015, better known as the caste census, which was conducted by the Siddaramaiah-led state government in 2015.

“A forum of extremely backward classes has started tours across all districts in Karnataka. They have already done it in Kolar and Tumakuru to pile pressure on the government to release the caste census report. They have also gone to court over the matter,” one person aware of the developments said, requesting not to be named.

The newly formed Athi Hindulida Jagruti Vedike (Extreme Backward Classes Awareness Forum in Kannada) had approached Siddaramaiah and the Congress, seeking help for making the caste-census report public.

Hundreds of small and marginalised groups in Karnataka are denied political, educational and employment benefits as they are largely unorganised and scattered across the state, leaving them at a disadvantage for availing of government-supported benefits or reservations.

Mukya Mantri Chandru, the honorary president of the forum, earlier told Hindustan Times that reservation was being given across the country based on unscientific data and that those with no representation in employment, education or politics are often left out.

The initiative for mobilisation of backward classes also puts Siddaramaiah on a collision course with his own partymen, especially those like party president DK Shivakumar, who are from dominant communities like Vokkaligas. The forum has also approached Shivakumar for his support.

With the Lok Sabha already passing a bill to give back powers on forming OBC lists to the state, Karnataka, which has seen several communities seeking higher share of reservation, is now trying to make the most for lifting of the upper ceiling, which is 50% according to a Supreme Court ruling.

But unlike the Lingayats, believed to be the single-largest caste group in the state, backward classes are not consolidated and do not vote en masse.

“How do you categorise people and communities unless you get the data. There are different categories of backward classes that include more backward, most backward, microscopic and invisible,” said one person aware of the developments, requesting not to be named.

At least 36 caste groups in Karnataka await their turn for a change in reservation status and category as well as corrections in spellings, among other requests, before the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, people aware of the developments said.

But the limelight has been on the dominant caste groups, especially the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, that have been challenged by smaller and more unorganised groups for similar benefits.

Yediyurappa had doled out sops in caste-specific programmes as part of the BJP’s outreach to get the backing of communities which are traditionally not known to support the party.

The recent reservation-related demands by Panchamasali, Kurubas, Vokkaligas and Valmikis, among others, have added to apprehensions of smaller communities with scattered populations across the state.

Siddaramaiah’s attempt to accord the Lingayats with the a separate religion status and make demarcations on Veerashaivas (a term used interchangeably in many parts but also believed to be the Hinduised version of the community) cost the Congress power in 2018, forcing the party to ally with its rival, Janata Dal (Secular), to keep the BJP at bay.

Siddaramaiah has a difficult task to get the backing of such groups over members of his own partymen, BJP and JD(S) who are also trying to reach out to these communities.

HD Kumaraswamy, the former chief minister and JD(S) leader, said on Monday that Siddaramaiah claims to be the saviour of backward classes but the reality is different.

“During Siddaramaiah’s term, homes that were supposed to be given to Dalits were cancelled and given to other communities. I have the information. He is not the only one who is protecting backward communities,” Kumaraswamy said. “In their (backward classes) name, the atrocities committed are many and I have all the details of this. He is not the only one who can save AHINDA. There are many people who have worked hard to protect this group.”