Naik community leaders should be accorded ministerial berths at the earliest: Shivanagouda Naik

'Delay in accommodating them in Cabinet is nothing but injustice meted out to the community'

Davangere: Former Minister K Shivanagouda Naik has said MLAs from the Naik community should be accorded ministerial berths at the earliest.

He was speaking at the Valmiki fair organised by the Valmiki Gurupeetha at Rajanahalli in Harihar taluk on Monday.

He said, "Community leaders K N Rajanna and Nagendra had to give up ministerial posts for multiple reasons. But the Congress government in Karnataka has not given Cabinet berths to other MLAs from the community. The delay is nothing but injustice meted out to the community."

Naik likened Rajanna, Madhugiri MLA, to a tiger and said Nagendra was dropped from the Cabinet in the wake of Valmiki corporation scam. "What was the government doing when funds were misused?" he sought to know. He alleged that MLAs of the community have been made scapegoats.

Referring the hike in reservation for STs from 4 per cent to 7 per cent, he said though the Basavaraj Bommai-led government increased the quantum of reservation for STs , people of the community have not been able to get its benefit as the Centre is yet to approve it. "MPs of all parties from Karnataka must pressure the Centre to approve it," he said.

Naik urged Valmiki Gurupeetha seer Prasannananda Mahaswami to establish educational institutions on the lines of Siddaganga and Suttur mutts. "The seer must ask current and former MLAs and Ministers to provide funds for the establishment of educational institutions," he said.