BJP is trying to divide Kuruba community: Siddaramaiah

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, also a Kuruba community leader, slammed the BJP and alleged that the saffron party is trying to divide the community.

While speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said that BJP is in power in both Centre as well as the state, and so it is not difficult to include Kuruba Community into the Scheduled Tribe list.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the Union government and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is heading the state government. When BJP is in power at both state and Centre, what was the necessity of conventions and padayatras? Let the state government send a recommendation to the Parliament for approval. Let KS Eshwarappa do it,” he said.

Siddaramaiah accused BJP of conspiring to divide the Kuruba community and aiming to isolate him. "RSS is behind this," he alleged.

Congress party recommended for the inclusion of Bestha, Gangamathasta, Mogaveera caste into the Scheduled Tribe list. Now, there is a movement demanding that the Kurubas be included in the ST list. If all these communities are given the ST tag, the percentage of ST will increase to 20% from 3%.