Vokkaliga quota: CM Bommai seeks panel report

The CM said that he has already referred Adichunchanagiri pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swami’s petition on hiking the Vokkaliga quota to the Backward Classes Commission

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said he has asked the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes to submit a report soon on the demand by Vokkaligas for a hike in their reservation.

On Friday morning, a delegation of BJP Vokkaliga leaders met Bommai and gave him a memorandum seeking an increase in reservation from 4 per cent to 12 per cent.

“Senior ministers, leaders and legislators have submitted a memorandum in which they’ve said that the population of Vokkaligas has increased. They want the aspirations of the community, especially the youth, to be fulfilled in education and jobs. In this regard, their main demand is that the current reservation has to be increased,” Bommai said.

The delegation has asked Bommai to consider associated communities such as Reddy-Vokkaligas and Kunchitigas for reservation. “Kunchitigas are not in the central list. So, they’ve made a separate request to be added to it,” Bommai said.

Bommai added that he has already referred Adichunchanagiri pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swami’s petition on hiking the Vokkaliga quota to the Backward Classes Commission.

Speaking to reporters, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said Vokkaligas account for 16 per cent of the state’s population. “The Vokkaliga community will always be with Bommai and (former chief minister) BS Yediyurappa...The JD(S) and Congress did nothing when they were in power,” he said.

Higher Education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said Category 3A has 4 per cent reservation for communities that account for 20 per cent of the population. “Out of this, the Vokkaliga community has been getting only 3 per cent reservation,” he said.