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Siddaramaiah calls demand for hike in quota ‘unconstitutional’
Addressing the legislative council on Thursday, Siddaramaiah clarified that the move to reclassify the community from OBC Category 3B to Category 2A conflicts with constitutional provisions
Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday opposed the Panchamasali Lingayat community’s demand for increased reservation, deeming it “unconstitutional”.
Addressing the legislative council on Thursday, Siddaramaiah clarified that the move to reclassify the community from OBC Category 3B to Category 2A conflicts with constitutional provisions. “What you are demanding is against Article 340 of the Constitution,” he said virtually, adding that the community is not merely advocating but “pressurising” the government.
The protests by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday turned violent as the demonstrators attempted to enter the assembly premises. The community had initially launched peaceful protests demanding inclusion in the 2A category of the OBC reservation matrix, which provides 15% reservation, instead of their current 3B category that offers 5%. Clashes erupted when protesters allegedly threw stones at the police, prompting the lathi charge.
A total of 24 people, including demonstrators and police personnel, sustained injuries. Many were detained including Basava Jayamruthunjaya Swami of Panchamasali Peetha, BJP MLAs Basangouda Patil Yatnal and Arvind Bellad, and Rajya Sabha MP Iranna Kadadi, police said.
Siddaramaiah on Thursday explained that he had previously discussed the issue with Panchamasali seer Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya. “I discussed with the seer twice and told him that the demand is unconstitutional and the decision of the previous government was also unconstitutional,” he said.
While he acknowledged the right to protest, he stressed that such actions must align with constitutional principles. “Protesting is not wrong, but demanding something against the Constitution is not right,” Siddaramaiah added.
Referring to the decision by the previous BJP government, led by Basavaraj Bommai, which restructured reservation quotas and reallocated 4% of the Muslim reservation, distributing it equally between Vokkaligas and Lingayats, Siddaramaiah said, “Why was this decision taken? Was it to appease the Panchamasalis or instigate Muslims?”
He also highlighted an affidavit filed under the BJP government that assured no changes to Category 2A reservations “until further orders.”
Heated debates rocked the Karnataka assembly on Thursday on the issue of police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha earlier this week. Home minister G Parameshwara defended the police action, while opposition BJP members demanded an apology from the government and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
During the assembly session on Thursday, BJP legislators repeatedly disrupted proceedings, insisting on a statement from chief minister Siddaramaiah or home minister Parameshwara on the matter. Speaker UT Khader assured the opposition leaders that the issue would be addressed after the Question Hour, but protests led to the adjournment.
When the House reconvened, Parameshwara defended the police action, stating it was necessary to maintain law and order. “Over 10,000 people had gathered at the protest site. Despite the government sending a ministerial delegation to receive their memorandum, the protesters insisted that the Chief Minister visit them, which was unreasonable,” he said.
He further said that protesters had removed barricades and marched towards Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and also pelted stones at police personnel and injuring police personnel. “This government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands, irrespective of their religion or community,” Parameshwara said. He added, “Should we welcome 10,000 protesters with kisses instead of trying to disperse them to maintain order?”
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka condemned the lathi charge while drawing comparison with the previous BJP government peacefully handling a larger protest by the same community in Bengaluru. “The previous BJP government managed a massive Panchamasali Lingayat protest in Bengaluru without any violence,” he said. He demanded an apology from the government, action against the police officers involved, withdrawal of cases against protesters, and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, himself a Panchamasali Lingayat leader, said the protest was politically motivated and orchestrated by BJP members. He also accused RSS elements of provoking the violence, a statement that led to heated exchanges between BJP and Congress legislators.
“Chief minister Siddaramaiah is the one who ordered the installation of photos of Basavanna, founder of the Lingayat sect in all government offices. CM Siddaramaiah took oath on the occasion of Basava Jayanti, he can never be anti-Lingayat,” Kashappanavar said.
Minister for revenue Krishna Byre Gowda said that it was the BJP that gave an undertaking in the Supreme Court regarding the non-implementation of reservation to the Linagayats and Vokkaligas.
The BJP MLAs got enraged following the statements and started moving towards the Well of the House. At this stage, speaker Khader adjourned the House.
