Nomadic SCs meet Siddaramaiah, to continue protest for 1% quota

Bengaluru: Representatives of nomadic Scheduled Castes (SC), who are demanding a separate 1% internal reservation for 59 “most backward” communities, decided to go ahead with their agitation after talks with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah failed on Saturday. 

The Federation of Scheduled Caste Nomadic Communities has opposed the state government’s decision on internal reservation for SCs as 59 “most backward” communities have been clubbed with the ‘touchable’ Dalit communities.

The government has decided to reduce the five categories (A, B, C, D and E) proposed by the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission on internal reservation to three - A, B and C.

In group C, the government has clubbed the “most backward” communities with Lambani (Banjara), Bhovi, Korma and Koracha communities (‘touchable’ Dalits). Since the ‘touchable’ Dalits are found to be the most forward of all Dalit sub-groups, several activists have opposed clubbing these 59 communities.