Two BJP leaders’ tussle divides Panchamsalis over reservation | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Two BJP leaders’ tussle divides Panchamsalis over reservation

Jan 12, 2023 12:18 AM IST

After the government announced the creation of a separate category to fulfil the long-pending demands of the Panchamasali community, Nirani welcomed the decision but Yatnal opposed it and wanted Bommai to continue the community in the same category with a hike in the quota for them

Bengaluru:

The Panchamasali Reservation Agitation Committee rejected the government’s decision to include the community in the new 2D category of reservation and had set a 24-hour deadline for the government to announce the 2A quota, or equivalent. (PTI)
The Panchamasali Reservation Agitation Committee rejected the government’s decision to include the community in the new 2D category of reservation and had set a 24-hour deadline for the government to announce the 2A quota, or equivalent. (PTI)

Two groups within the Pachamasali community are divided over the Karnataka government’s decision on reservation for the Lingayat sub-sect and this disagreement is fuelled by the feud between large and medium scale industries minister Murgesh Nirani and Vijayapura City BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, community leaders in the know of the developments said.

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On December 29, the Karnataka cabinet categorised Panchamasalis, a sub-sect of the dominant and politically significant Lingayat community, in the newly created 2D subdivision under the backward class (BC) category, while they have been demanding inclusion in the 2A subdivision, which is categorised as “more backwards” and offers 15% reservation in education and employment.

The Panchamasali Reservation Agitation Committee rejected the government’s decision to include the community in the new 2D category of reservation and had set a 24-hour deadline for the government to announce the 2A quota, or equivalent, for the community.

Two groups within the Pachamasali community aligned to Nirani and Yatnal are at the centre of the controversy. While one accepts the government’s proposal, the other is against it. Since the issue of reservation for the Panchamasali community took centre stage, Yatnal and Nirani are accusing each other of working against the community’s interest.

“One of the seers who has been speaking against the current announcement on the reservation is Jaya Mrutyhyunjaya Swami of the Panchamasali Peeta. He was once close to Nirani and enjoyed the backing of the minister for several years. However, over the last few years, Nirani had become closer to Swami Vachanananda of the Panchamasali Mutt, Davangere. Jaya Mrutyhyunjaya Swami later grew closer to Yatnal and he is taking on the government over the issue,” said a leader in the know of the development.

According to the leader, politics is being played out for the credit over reservation. “Yatnal thinks that Vachanananda and Nirani are trying to take the credit for the reservation and make chief minister Bommai an important leader within the community. Yatnal has ambitions to become the chief minister and he has joined hands with Jaya Mrutyhyunjaya Swami to take credit. The battle is getting ugly,” the leader added.

In this attack against the Vachanananda Swami, Yatnal has claimed that the seer was involved in financial misappropriation. “The seer collected 10 crore from BS Yeddiyurappa when he was the chief minister saying that the money will be spent for the development of the math. But the money was not spent on math development. It was misappropriated,’‘ Yatnal alleged in last week of December. “Vachanananda Swami is not a religious leader. He is a power broker. He collects money from politicians saying that he will help them become ministers,’‘ Yatnal claimed.

The seer denied these allegations and said that there are records of all the money given by the government. “First of all the money isn’t released at once, but in instalments and we have to show proof of work done for this. We have done this. So these allegations are baseless,” he said.

Prashant Patil, a north Karnataka-based political observer, said that Yatnal fears that Vachanananda Swami, on behalf of Nirani, is trying to hijack the long-drawn struggle of the Panchamasali community for higher reservation which was led by Sri Mruthyunjaya Swamiji. “He has been claiming that seer has been trying to create the impression that the BJP government headed by CM Basavaraj Bommai has done a lot for them. Yatnal, who believes he could be a chief minister at some point, wants a share of the glory too,” said Patil.

According to Patil, Yatnal has openly accused CM Bommai of trying to give a raw deal to the Panchamasali community. “Interestingly, this attack came soon after Nirani arranged a meeting between Vachanananda Swami and the CM over the quota issue. He was unhappy that his ally and a seer who has been working for the reservation (Jaya Mrutyhyunjaya Swami) was sidelined,” said Patil.

After the government announced the creation of a separate category to fulfil the long-pending demands of the Panchamasali community, Nirani welcomed the decision but Yatnal opposed it and wanted Bommai to continue the community in the same category with a hike in the quota for them.

Two days later, Yatnal issued a warning to the CM asking him to decide on the reservation issue for the community depending on which the community would work out its future course of action. The BJP is not in a position to silence Yatnal by taking disciplinary action because it would make the entire community go against the saffron party.

Reacting to the attacks by Yatnal, Nirani said that people will teach him a lesson if he (Yatnal) does not mend his ways. “He has been constantly speaking against Yediyurappa, the state government and the pontiff of Harihar Peetha in a language that is unbecoming of a person belonging to the land of Siddheshwar Swamy. Please remember what you were before coming to politics. People of Vijayapura will teach you a befitting lesson,” Nirani said.

On Yatnal’s statement that the Panchamasalis are not ready to accept reservations under 2D category, Nirani said that those opposing should know the facilities that are available under different categories. “The struggle for reservation by Panchamasalis is four-decades-old and Yediyurappa had formed a cabinet committee comprising Basavaraj Bommai and me to consider the demand,” he said.

Yatnal on the other hand blamed Nirani for the delay in the State government announcing the reclassification of reservations for the community. “I have credible information that Nirani took BJP national president JP Nadda to the Harihar Panchamasali Peetha and told him that there is no need to expedite the issue. And, that is why the state government has put off the decision. It has also changed its course of thinking. We stick to our demand for inclusion in 2A category. We will continue our agitation,’ “

He also accused chief minister Bommai of creating two new categories in category 2 for OBC communities. “We condemn this. We do not accept the offer of including us in 2D. We need 2A category reservation and we will not accept any other reclassification,’‘ Yatnal said.

He described the Harihara Panchamasali Peetha as a “payment seat” math. “It was established by a minister to further his personal political purposes and not for the public interest. It has no future. Nor does the minister have any future,’‘ he said.

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