BELAGAVI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah hinted in the assembly Monday that Congress govt would restore the 4% Muslim quota that the erstwhile BJP-led coalition scrapped in March 2023, citing saffron party’s subsequent affidavit in court that purportedly talks about maintaining status quo on the contentious issue.
Siddaramaiah raised the opposition’s hackles by saying BJP’s move smacked of doublespeak -first transferring the Muslim quota to two other communities and then allegedly saying the opposite in its affidavit in SC.
“The former ex-BJP govt did not include the Panchamasali Lingayats in the 2A quota. Instead, it snatched the 4% Muslim quota under 2B and redistributed it – 2% to Veerashaiva-Lingayats and 2% to Vokkaligas under 3A and 3B…This led to injustice,” he said.
CM’s remarks came amid an uproar over the state govt clamping restrictions on the Panchamasali Lingayat community’s proposed protest at the assembly complex.
When BJP MLAs R Ashoka and CN Ashwathnarayan demanded proof of their party contradicting its decision to scrap the Muslim quota, Siddaramaiah said, “I shall table the affidavit filed by the previous govt tomorrow itself.”
BJP’s Basangouda Patil Yatnal requested that he table a copy of the affidavit in the assembly Wednesday, pointing to the ongoing Panchamasali Lingayat protests for 2A reservation. Siddaramaiah agreed to it.
The day’s session saw more heated exchanges as BJP members alleged that the Congress govt was “stifling free speech” by barring the Panchamasali Lingayats from staging their planned gherao of the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha. “This is a blatant attack on democratic rights,” BJP said.
Belagavi DC Mohammad Roshan issued an order Sunday evening prohibiting the use of vehicles and tractors during the rally.
Clarifying govt’s stance, home minister G Parameshwara said, “We have not banned the protest by Panchamasali Lingayats. It is their democratic right to demand reservation. However, allowing vehicles, including over 5,000 tractors, could create a law-and-order crisis.”
BJP accepted the justification, but demanded that govt engage directly with the community. Siddaramaiah informed the assembly that he had already met representatives of the Panchamasali Lingayats twice. “I explained to them that the permanent backward classes commission needs to submit its report on the merits of reservation before we can provide reservation to the Panchamasalis.”