Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah assures nomadic community of resolving internal quota issue

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday, assured that the government was considering how they could provide a separate 1% reservation to nomadic Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.

“.. The government doesn't have any intention of including one caste with another or doing injustice to any community. We will find a solution and resolve this issue,” the chief minister said.

Siddaramaiah’s assurance came during a meeting with the Confederation of Untouchable Nomadic Communities of Karnataka, which has been fighting for over 2 months on the reservation issue.

The nomadic communities are protesting against the 6-6-5 formula of the state government for internal reservation to SCs, which “modified” the Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission report and merged 59 ‘most backward’ SC communities with the ‘less backward’ Lambani, Bhovi, Korma and Korcha communities.

Justice Das had recommended a 1-6-5-4-1 formula, where the 59 communities were considered 'most backward' and given first preference under category A.

During the meeting, Siddaramaiah is said to have requested the confederation to withdraw the petition filed in the High Court against the 6-6-5 formula of the state government.

The High Court has not stopped recruitment but has stayed final appointments based on the 6-6-5 formula.

Siddaramaiah also agreed to the other two demands of the community to provide a separate board for the community which doesn't include the Korma and Korcha communities and to give a comprehensive package to the community that provides them land, educational facilities and self-employment opportunities.

“We will carefully examine the path to implement the separate 1% reservation that you have requested. Please have faith in the government - we will not abandon the nomadic communities. After further discussion, we will implement the 1% reservation,” a press note by the confederation quoted Siddaramaiah as having said.

The confederation hailed the meeting as an “important breakthrough" in their demand for a separate 1% reservation but sought a written commitment.

“We welcome the assurance but we need a clear, written Government Order (GO). Until then, the government should not proceed with any recruitment,” the press note by the confederation added.

Delhi Struggle

The nomadic communities, led by the confederation, conducted ‘Delhi Chalo’ and camped in the national capital for around 2 weeks and urged the Congress High Command to give them justice.

Veteran Congressman and MLC BK Hariprasad had assured the community of resolving their issue by convening a meeting with the chief minister, after which the communities returned to Karnataka.

The nomadic communities, which have for centuries been socio-educationally and economically backward, have a population of 5.22 lakh in Karnataka.