4 seers pressurised to accept new quotas: Shivakumar

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Mar 28, 2023: Four seers in Karnataka have been pressurised to accept the revised reservation announced by the state cabinet, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said on Monday.The statement comes days after the Karnataka cabinet on Friday approved increasing the reservation for Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities in the state.

 

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said that both communities, which currently fall under the 2C and 2D categories of the reservation, will receive 2% additional reservation.

Shivakumar said: “The government called them up 20-25 times asking them to accept the new quota. But Vokkaligas and Lingayats are not beggars to receive the quota that has been robbed from the 4% OBC quota for Muslims. Are minorities not our people.”

“Do you have a legal department? Is this your property to share the quota on the whims of three or four people? No community is a beggar to receive these alms of yours. We oppose this. Reservation should be allotted to these communities based on population. Congress is committed to it,” he said.

During the winter session of the Karnataka assembly, the government announced the creation of two new categories: 2C and 2D, to include the Lingayats and Vokkaligas.

After chairing the state-level executing committee meeting in Belagavi, Jaya Mruthyunjaya, seer of Kudalasangama mutt, asked Panchamasalis to reject the government’s decision.

He insisted that the community should be included in the 2A category which has 15% reservation.

However, after the government announced that it would increase the Lingayat community, which received a 5% reservation will now get a 7% reservation, while the Vokkaliga community, which enjoyed a 4% reservation is now being given a 6% reservation, the community leaders withdrew their protest.

Meanwhile, denying any pressure tactics, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters in Hubballi: “I have not spoken to any seer, and there is no need. The seers know everything, and they have independent thoughts. There is no need to stress or pressurise anyone.”

Jaya Mruthyunjaya seer also denied this allegation and said they were under no pressure to stop the protest. “We have had ministers meeting us in the past trying to pacify us, but we didn’t stop. Now we have been given an assurance by the government, and they have sought time to implement it. There is no pressure on us in any way,” he said.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times