K’taka BJP leaders to protest for Madiga reservation on August 1
Bengaluru: The Madiga organisations in Karnataka have decided to stage protests in front of the Deputy Commissioners’ offices across Karnataka on August 1 to draw the state government’s attention to the issue of internal reservation, said former Union Minister and senior BJP leader A. Narayanaswamy.
Addressing a joint press conference in Bengaluru along with former Deputy CM and BJP MP Govind Karjol, Narayanaswamy stated, “It will be exactly one year on August 1 since justice D.Y. Chandrachud delivered the Supreme Court verdict on internal reservation. If the Karnataka cabinet does not pass a resolution and present it in the Assembly by the 10th, the Madiga community will call for a Karnataka bandh. A meeting of 4,000 to 5,000 people will be held to decide this.”
He warned that a noncooperation movement will be launched and that the state government will not be allowed to function.
“Even the Chief Minister himself had previously admitted that the Congress lost due to failure to implement internal reservation. The Madiga community will now move forward to prevent that from repeating,” he said.
He added that the Madiga community has been fighting for internal reservation for over three and a half decades.
“In Telangana, internal reservation was implemented in 1999 to correct historical injustices against the Madigas. In 2004, the Telangana High Court itself had stated that internal reservation was necessary,” he pointed out.
He criticised the Congress party, saying it had earlier rejected the need for internal reservation.
“Even after the Supreme Court’s verdict, the most oppressed among the oppressed have not received reservations. The Congress party has failed to show any commitment. Despite ruling the state for many years, the Congress and other parties have ignored the Madiga community,” he alleged.
Referring to a past remark by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge advising Telangana CM Revanth Reddy not to rush on internal reservation, he noted that despite this, Revanth Reddy still implemented it. “In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu implemented internal reservation. In Punjab, too, it has been implemented. But the Karnataka government is stalling,” he accused.
He recalled that when the Madiga community protested in Belagavi five months ago, the ministers had assured implementation within three months. Later, the Naganmohan Das Commission was formed and given a 40-day deadline, which was later extended.
“There are several records proving that the government did not cooperate with Naganmohan Das. The government didn’t even provide the necessary data related to political and employment representation. There is no clarity for Naganmohan Das. Even after 6-7 months, internal reservation has not been implemented,” he criticised.
He expressed doubts about the Chief Minister’s commitment and governance.
“Every time, they claim to be protectors of backward classes. They had spoken about implementing the Kantharaj Report. We trusted the Chief Minister, but he bowed to the high command’s directions. It’s been 4 years and 10 months since the Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections were held. Yet, the government has failed to provide justice to the backward classes,” he alleged.
Govind Karjol urged the government to implement internal reservation starting August 16. He warned that the situation should not lead to a situation similar to the civil disobedience movement.
“Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, national leaders, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, say that they have honoured their words and haven’t betrayed Dalits. During the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, this promise was made in their manifesto. In the very first cabinet meeting, they claimed it would be implemented.
But then they used excuses to form the Naganmohan Das Committee, which was supposed to submit its report in 40 days. It has now been six months. This is nothing but betrayal and deception by the government,” he said.
He further alleged that even when Naganmohan Das sought certain information and wrote to the government, no response was given. “The government is hiding everything. This is a warning bell — implement internal reservation from August 16 or face agitation,” he declared.
State spokesperson H. Venkatesh Dodderi, SC Morcha State Vice-President Hoodi Manjunath, and leader Santosh were also present at the press meet.