Ahead of protests by Panchamasalis for reservation under 2A category in Karnataka, the Congress government has cornered the opposition with plans to table in the Assembly the affidavit filed by the former BJP government in the Supreme Court on the issue.
The BJP has supported the protest to be organized near Suvarna Vidhan Soudh on Tuesday under the leadership of Jayamrityunjaya Swamy. Community watchers have announced plans to lay siege to the administrative complex using tractors, but the authorities have denied permission for such a protest.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he would place an affidavit in the Assembly on Wednesday on giving reservation to the Panchamasalis, a sub-sect of the Lingayat community, considered the largest caste group in the state.
Siddaramaiah said he had two meetings with Drashta and other Panchamasali leaders. “I have clearly told them that I will not oppose their reservation demand,” he said. Veerashaiva Lingayat and Panchamasali Lingayat Falling under the 3B category, the Chief Minister said that for the community to be included under the backward class reservation category, an application has to be filed before the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission.
“The previous government did not include Panchamasali Lingayats under 2A. They canceled the four percent reservation given to Muslims and allocated two percent of it to communities falling under 3B and another two percent to 3A communities. Later, in the Supreme Court, the previous BJP government filed an affidavit saying that it would not withdraw the four per cent reservation given to Muslims and maintain the status quo,” he said.
Siddaramaiah made this announcement in an affidavit at the request of Deputy Leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad.
Home Minister G Paramesh said that the Panchamasali community is planning to protest near Suvarnavidhan Souha with 5,000 tractors. ‘If five thousand tractors come, it will not be possible to hold a convention here and it will not be possible to maintain peace and security. So we have decided not to allow tractors and we have already informed (the protesters),” he said.
However, community-planned protests will be allowed, the minister said.