Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said that the long standing demand of the backward classes for providing them with internal reservation was not too far.

Speaking at function organised by the Social Welfare Department after unveiling former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjeevan Ram’s statute in the vicinity of Vidhana Soudha, Mr Kumaraswamy said that the demand for internal reservation by the weaker and backward sections of the society would be a reality soon.

“Your campaign for internal reservation will bear fruit soon; I am not announcing this craving for publicity but with the fond hope that it would ensure that the weaker and backward sections live on par with others in the State which was the dream of Gandhiji, Dr Ambedkar and Babu Jagjeevan Ram,” he said. He added that during the past 20 months his government undertook various welfare programmes for the benefit of backward classes and minorities in the State.“ When we came to power, there was a lot of apprehension whether we would work for the poor, backward classes and minorities, now after 20 months I can say that we have fared better than all previous governments,” he added.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said that the government had made adequate allocation for undertaking welfare programmes for the backward classes and that it had provided Rs 3 crore for the  construction of Babu Jagjeevan Ram bhavan in the city. The Chief Minister also laid foundation stones for various developmental projects by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to improve the infrastructure of the City.