In Karnataka's quota war, tricky terrain ahead for BJP

At least four major caste groups in Karnataka are engaged in a quota war and the BJP seems caught thick in the middle of the action. It is anybody’s guess how this will pan out for the saffron party.

These demands are coming from communities that cannot be ignored and as part of the BJP’s larger Hindutva agenda, their appeasement is a high-stakes game.

However, given its expansionist agenda, the BJP has been looking to break the Congress’ hold on the Ahinda, a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits.

It appears to be headed that way in Karnataka: The Scheduled Castes have demanded an increase in their state quota from 15% to 17% and the Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7%.

The Kurubas have intensified their demand to be included under the ST list, whereas the government is keen to give Veerashaiva-Lingayats OBC status nationally, with the Panchamshalis, a sub-sect, wanting Category 2A status in the state.

A Cabinet sub-committee headed by Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu is looking into the SC/ST quota hike, which is seen as a way to buy more time. But, it is Sriramulu, a Valmiki, who spearheaded the ST quota hike demand. Likewise, the Kuruba agitation is led by the party’s own RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa. There are influential seers, too, backing these demands.

At present, Karnataka provides 32% reservation for OBCs, 15% for SCs and 3% for STs, totalling to 50% as capped by the Supreme Court.

If the BJP decides to go ahead with hiking the SC/ST quota, the 50% cap will be breached, a legal quagmire.

One way forward is to redraw the existing state quota, which will mean cutting more pieces from the same pie. This will have political ramifications.

For instance, placing the Kurubas in the ST list will pit them against the Valmikis.

And, if the numerically-strong Panchamasalis are moved from Category 3B to Category 2A, political equations will be altered. Under Category 3B, the Veerashaiva-Lingayats currently get 5% reservation. Under Category 2A, there are 102 castes and their sub-sects sharing 15% reservation and they are likely to go up in arms if the Panchamasalis are put in the same basket with them.

“Whatever we do, reservation should not exceed 50%,” Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes chairperson Jayaprakash Hegde points out.

Politically, the BJP can score brownie points with Eshwarappa emerging as the Kuruba leader, what with former Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah, seen as an Ahinda champion, keeping away from the movement.

“The BJP doesn’t have to sway an entire community towards them. They just have to split votes,” a Congress leader says.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa himself is pushing for national OBC status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats, the community he belongs to. This will give them a share in 27% quota for central government jobs and educational institutions.

But, the frenzy around reservations is akin to running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, political analyst D Umapathy says.

“Firstly, the RSS is against reservations. Where will these reservations be put to use anyway? With the government not recruiting and PSUs disinvested, where are the jobs,” he asks.

Former advocate-general Ravivarma Kumar says the only rational approach is to look at the yet-to-be-made-public socio-economic survey or the caste census.

“The Supreme Court has already capped reservation at 50%. As chief minister, Veerappa Moily had increased reservation to 73%. This was stayed by the apex court and reduced to 50%, restoring the status quo. Finally, the court remanded the matter back to the government asking for empirical data to justify the 73% reservation. That’s why the survey becomes important,” Kumar explains.