BJP's internal reservation plan hits a roadblock

After having hiked SC/ST reservations, the BJP government’s ambitious plan to provide internal quotas for Dalits has run into a roadblock.

According to sources, Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan, a Lambani, is resisting internal quotas saying his community’s prospects would be affected. This, even as a policy note has been prepared, awaiting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s approval.

The Lambanis and Bhovis - touchable Dalits - are not in favour of internal reservation.

The Bommai administration has constituted a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Law Minister J C Madhuswamy to make recommendations on providing internal reservation to Dalits.

Chavan, Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol, Fisheries Minister S Angara - Dalits - and Health Minister K Sudhakar are the sub-committee members.

Sources close to Chavan told DH that he has been pushing hard to defer the implementation of internal reservation while Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol is keen to have it done before the election code of conduct kicks in.

Last week, Lambani community leaders such as Gulbarga MP Umesh Jadhav, his son and Chincholi MLA Avinash Jadhav and Chavan met Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy and urged him to defer any decision on international reservation.

“The delegation cautioned that whatever the BJP has gained in terms of the community’s confidence after Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed title deeds to 52,000 families from Lambani Tandas in January would be lost completely if the government goes ahead with internal reservation,” one member who was part of the delegation said.

Apparently, Lambanis are quite decisive in 25-30 seats constituencies in parts of central and Kalyana Karnataka.

A source close to Karjol claimed that the Madiga community wants internal reservation based on the Justice A J Sadashiva Commission’s report, which recommended internal reservation for SCs.

“The Commission submitted its report in 2012. After a prolonged battle, Madigas are back to square one as they are not able to achieve their end-result of getting internal reservation. All these years it was the SC (Right) such as Chalavadis who opposed it. Now, it’s the turn of Lambanis and Bhovis, who’ve traditionally stood with BJP, to oppose,” the source rued.

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government was accused of sitting on the Sadashiva Commission report, angering the SC (Left) who argue that most of the reservation benefits are taken by the SC (Right). Poll pundits say this resulted in the SC (Left) moving away from the Congress during the 2018 polls.