From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 4: Home minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is also the state’s law and parliamentary affairs minister, said the B S Yediyurappa regime is committed to increasing the reservation beyond the 50% limit to help the backward and deserving communities.
Addressing a function at Harihar after inaugurating a new hostel, community hall and main entrance at Sri Kaginele Maha Kanasthanam Kanaka Gurupitha Bhashamathu Belodi, he said the state government has already filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court to make the existing reservation more than 50 per cent to protect the interests of the backward classes.
For the Halamut community to be added to the ST, the reservation quota should be increased to 2.5%. Similarly, various communities have applied for reservation. To provide reservation to all backward classes, the reservation limit has to be increased above the 50% limit set by the Supreme Court.
Against this background, the state government is committed to increasing the reservation, the minister said officially for the first time.
There was a consensus in the Cabinet meeting in this regard. An affidavit has been submitted to the Supreme Court regarding this. We are expecting a good decision from the Supreme Court, he said.
"Increasing reservation is indeed a challenge. Reservation to all communities should be finalised legally within the framework of the constitution in a practical manner,’’ the minister explained.
A panel of experts, headed by a retired judge, has been formed in the good faith that no one should question this decision in the coming days.
There is a demand that the shepherd community should be added to the ST group. In this connection, a study of genealogy would take place.
The Panchamasali community has put forth their demand for the 2A category. Similarly, many small communities have demanded reservation. To meet their demand, the government has decided to increase the reservation amount, Bommai said.
The Yediyurappa-led government has provided all kinds of assistance to Kanakaguru seat Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned for the development of Myla Math. Of it, Yediyurappa has released Rs 2.5 crore.
Thus, the state government and Yediyurappa have an affection for the community. The community is also affectionate to the government, Yediyurappa and other leaders, Bommai said.
Kanakadasa is born only once in an era. It is a matter of pride for me that the place where such a philosopher was born falls under the jurisdiction of my constituency.
If the administration of chief minister Yediyurappa is analysed closely, caste and religion do not matter to him. Like Kanakadasa, Yediyurappa's mentality is to do good to all religions. Thus, he has extended every support to all the religions, Bommai expressed his pleasure.
Bommai said Kanakadasa had faced the attack from his blood relatives. In this, he lost. Kanakadasa says I saw many victories in this defeat. I won myself in this defeat, Kanakadasa had said.