Bengaluru: The woes of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa seem to be never-ending. Of late, the agitations for reservations have become his new headache.
In back to back agitations, Panchamasali community, a Lingayat sub-sect, is demanding reservation status of 2A while the Kuruba community is demanding ST reservation status.
Basava Mruthyunjava Swamijee led the agitation of Panchamasali Lingayat and Niranjananandapuri Swamijee of Kaginele Kanaka Gurupeeta led the agitation of Kuruba community, both communities pontiffs have led the padayatra seeking reservations for their respective communities.
CM reacted sharply:
In just concluded Assembly session, BJP rebel MLA and former minister Basanagowda Patil has raised the issue of reservation status to Panchamasali Lingayats. He has also criticized the state government for not taking any steps to accord 2A reservation status to Panchamasali community. However the Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa has reacted sharply to the comment.
CM bluntly said that providing 2A reservation status to Panchamasali community was not in his hands. He also stated that if the community wants reservation status, 25 BJP MPs elected from Karnataka must put forth the demand before the Centre.
Chief Minister’s negative response made Basava Mruthnunjaya Swamiji annoyed, he replied that “it was not the job of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister to give reservation status to Panchamasali community. Chief Minister should not pass the buck on Central leadership on this regard. Chief Minister has the power to take a decision on the reservation”, Swamiji replied.
The pontiff further added that “if Panchamasali community gets 2A reservation status, the community will be strengthened, but the Chief Minister doesn’t want to fulfil the demand of the community. Once the community is empowered, it would harm the interest of family members of the Chief Minister, especially his son Vijayanedra’s dream to become the Chief Minister”, he criticized.
In fact, the Panchamasali community was not against the leadership of Yediyurappa. But the community has come under the impression that after BJP government came to power, Yediyurappa has started neglecting the Panchamasali community and it has been proved during Cabinet expansion process.
After BJP government has come to power, Yediyurappa has started parlays with party leaders to induct new ministers into his cabinet. On that time, Panchamananda Swamiji of Harihara Petta Mutt demanded the Chief Minister to give more representations to Panchamasali community in the Cabinet.
Chief Minister refused to oblige:
Angered by the demand of the pontiff, the Chief Minister has categorically said that the pontiff can give only suggestions to the government. After Chief Minister's response to Harihara Peeta pontiff, Panchamasali community leaders have started giving statements against the Chief Minister.
As a matter of fact, pontiff has demanded to make Murugesh Nirani and Basanagowda Patil Yatnal from the community as ministers in BSY cabinet, however, the Chief Minister did not agree.
Aspirations of leaders from community:
Out of a total population of Lingayats in the state Panchamasali community is 45%. Panchamasali community depends on agriculture income and with small holdings of land, if the community united, they can pitch their leader for Chief Minister’s post. Once this rumour started doing rounds, senior legislator Murugesh Nirani is eying on the top post.
Murgesh Nirani was the Minister of Large and Medium Scale Industries in BSY Cabinet in 2008. Now he is one of the strong contenders to the CM post.
Nirani has significant clout in the community. With the support of community leaders, Nirani is eying on CM post. Nirani name was repeatedly circulating in Panchamasali community circle in last one year and his name was mentioned in the party circle too while a change of leadership demand started by few MLAs.
Basanagowda Patil Yatnal is also trying to become the Chief Minister, often he stated that he is one of the contenders for CM post. But Yediyurappa knew that Nirani is more powerful than Yatnal, when it comes to leadership issue.
Nirani is having all resources for today’s politics. Yediyurappa is also aware that Nirani will come in the way of his son B.Y. Vijayendra's aspirations. Having sensed it, Yediyurappa is not ready to strengthen the Panchamasali community, say political pundits.
On the other hand, Yediyurappa doesn’t want Lingayat community to be divided, because of unity in the community, he has become undisputed leader for the community. Considering this, Yediyurappa is trying to accord 2A status to Lingayat community as a whole.
Complications of according reservation
If panchamasali community comes under the ambit of 2A reservation status, it will get hurt to Sadara, Kadu Vokkaliga and other sub-sects of Lingayat community. These smaller communities will oppose the Chief Minister if he considers the demand of the Panchamasali community. Thus finally it would affect the interest of his son B.Y. Vijayendra who is eagerly waiting to step into the shoes of his father.
For all these reasons, the Chief Minister did not shown any interest to incorporate Panchamasali Lingayats to 2A category. Because of his stand, Basava Mruthyunjaya Swamiji has spoken against the Chief Minister. Now the Chief Minister has directed the backward classes commission to study the feasibility of this demand. But this demand won’t stop here.
If Panchamasali gets reservation status, community leaders and pontiff will get credit for this, on the other hand, if they did not get the reservation benefits, community will be united against the Chief Minister and his son. The message will go out that the Chief Minister will not allow uniting the Panchamasali for the sake of his son. The position of Chief Minister is like walking on a double-edged sword at this moment.
Kuruba community agitation:
Like Panchamasalis, Kuruba community has started an agitation to seek ST status to the community. Community leaders and pontiff have resorted to Padayatra from Kaginele and it culminated at the outskirts of Bengaluru by holding big rally sending the strong message to the government.
Under the leadership of Niranjanananda Swamiji of Kaginele Kanaka Gurupeeta, padayatra was started on January 15. During the 21 days, the padayatra has crossed over 360 k.m and demanded the government to accord ST status to Kuubas. Here all political party leaders cutting across the party line have supported the agitation.
Chief Minister was irked over his own Cabinet Minister K.S. Eshwarappa for supporting the agitation and even few BJP MLAs have also supported the agitation. Eshwarappa had criticized the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for not attending the rally.
Eshwarappa stated that Siddaramaiah is not Kuruba leader, he is the leader for Ahinda community.
Annoyed Siddaramaiah has lambasted that RSS was behind the agitation of Kuruba community, RSS has been trying to divide the community, he alleged.
ST reservation quota should be increased from 3% to 20:
"I will not object if Eshwarappa becomes Kuruba community leader, we should not proclaim ourselves as leaders, people should decide on it. Before demanding ST status to Kuruba, we should demand to increase reservation quota to ST from 3 per cent to 20 per cent. Valmiki community has demanded the increase of ST quota from 3 percent to 7.5 percent. If the reservation is remaining 3 percent, it won’t help Kuruba community if the community will be added to ST.
If BJP has the real concern to Kuruba community, first they accept the report of Backward Classes Permanent Commission on social, educational, the population status of Kuruba community”, Siddaramaiah demanded.
Both Panchamasali and Kuruba communities problems are entirely different. Here Siddaramaiah or Eshwarappa is not important. The question is the interest of over 60 lakh Kuruba community people, Eshwarappa reacted.
With this reservation issue brewing up, only time will reveal how they are going to turn up for Yediyurappa.
