From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Mar 15: With the series of agitations by different communities, especially the politically powerful Veerashaiva Lingayats and the Panchamasali subsect with backing from different religious heads, causing a serious headache for the state government, chief minister B S Yediyurappa informed the Legislative Assembly the government would seek reports from the Karnataka Backward Class Commission and a committee headed by former Upalokauyukta Subhash B Adi in six months and would take a decision on increasing the quota for communities.
The chief minister’s statement in the Assembly on Monday has assumed significance in the wake of agitations by various communities such as Kurubas, Panchamasali, SC and STs seeking hike in quota not only state government jobs and education but also in central government.
B S Yediyurappa (file photo)
It is, however, not clear if Yediyurappa’s promise on the floor of the Assembly will help in calming tempers and ending the spate of agitations for increasing reservations for various communities. The Panchamasali community, however, has suspended the agitation for six months.
The chief minister made the statement in the House following BJP member and former union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s demand that the government must set a deadline for granting reservation for the Panchamasali community under the 2A for availing benefits of 15% quota in jobs and education.
The community has been included in the 3B and eligible to avail of benefits under the quota of five per cent.
Significantly, the chief minister’s assurance has already prompted the community to end the agitation.
Yatnal said he had accepted Yediyurappa’s assurance and the agitation by the community would be suspended for the next six months.
The BJP leader, who has become a thorn in the flesh for Yediyurappa, said he would inform the seer of the Panchamasali community to end the strike launched at the Freedom Park in the City.
Quickly enough, Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swamy, who led the stir, announced the ending of the agitation following an assurance from the chief minister to look into their demand for increasing quota in six months.
Last week, Yatnal has threatened to launch an indefinite agitation if the government failed to set a deadline for granting reservation for the community under the 2A.
In state as per the current quota matrix, 4% reservation was given under category-1 to 391 castes/sub-castes; 15% under 2A for 393 castes/sub-castes; 4% under 2B for minorities; 4% under 3A for 50 castes/sub-castes; and 5% quota under 3B for 48 castes.
The Backward Class Commission headed by former chairman H Kanatharaj recommended that Panchamasali should be in the category of 3B and opposed its inclusion in 2A.
The government constituted a high-level committee headed by a retired high court judge Subhash Adi to study demands made by communities/castes seeking changes in the existing reservation matrix. The three-member committee has one retired administrator and a social scientist.
The government was committed to ensuring justice to the Panchamasali community but change in the quota matrix should stand before the legal scrutiny, the chief minister said.