Will stop winter session if demands not met: Nomadic communities in Karnataka

Bengaluru: The nomadic SC communities warned the government on Wednesday that they would not allow the upcoming Belagavi session of the legislature (mostly in December) to function if their reservation demands were not met.

At the massive ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ organised at Freedom Park here, the Karnataka Untouchable Nomadic Communities’ Federation urged the government to provide 1% reservation to 59 ‘most backward’ communities (49 nomadic and semi-nomadic communities and 10 highly sensitive communities) under group A (first priority) as
recommended by the Nagamohan Das commission report.

Stating that they were giving a call for Belagavi Chalo, the resolution announced that they would gherao the Belagavi session with the slogan ‘Justice or Jail’. 

A huge crowd flocked to the venue from across the state. Several persons from communities such as Beda/Budga Jangama, Sudugadu Siddha, Sillekyatha, Sindholu and Channa Dasari assembled at the venue, with some even coming in their traditional performative attire.

Activist-journalist Shivasundar, actor Chethan Ahimsa, Dalit leaders Ambanna Ambalikar and others spoke on the occasion and urged the government to reverse its decision.

While the Das Commission had recommended that the 17% reservation for SCs should be divided amongst 5 categories (A-1%, B-6%, C-5%, D-4% and E-1%), the government reduced it to three groups and eventually decided in favour of a 6-6-5 formula for A, B and C groups, respectively.

The resolution slammed the government’s decision as being against social justice and against the recommendations of the Supreme Court’s August 1, 2024 judgment and the Das commission report.

Some nomadic community leaders are likely to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday before the Cabinet meeting.