Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah’s unrelenting efforts to consist of the Kuruba neighborhood in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list has actually struck a political obstruction, with his most current quote being stymied by the prominent Valmiki neighborhood.
An official-level conference arranged Tuesday by the ST well-being department– to take a look at a proposition to categorize Kurubas from Bidar, Kalaburagi, and Yadgir under the ST classification– was suddenly cancelled after Valmiki Peeta pontiff Valmiki Prasannananda Swami apparently called Siddaramaiah and voiced issues. It is stated Siddaramaiah advised authorities to cancel the conference following the call. The relocation reignited a dispute over modifications to the ST list. Valmiki and Nayaka neighborhoods have actually revealed issues over sharing the 7% ST booking with Kurubas, a shepherd caste to which Siddaramaiah belongs.
Karnataka presently has 50 castes and sub-castes categorized as STs, consisting of Valmiki and Nayaka. These neighborhoods effectively lobbied to increase booking from 3% to 7% in 2022. Kurubas, consisting of around 9.5% of the state’s approximated 6.5 crore population, now posture a possible shift in booking characteristics. Previous Congress MP and Valmiki representative VS Ugrappa stated, “We have no objection to including any caste in the ST list, but the govt must fulfil three conditions.
It must first conduct an ethnographic study to ensure these castes possess a tribal character. Second, it must ensure that the quantum of reservation the particular caste presently enjoys is transferred to the overall ST quota. Finally, the number of assembly and Lok Sabha seats reserved for STs should proportionately be increased.
” Resistance from Valmiki and Nayaka functionaries has actually positioned the govt in a fragile position, as these neighborhoods were critical for Congress triumphes in 14 of 15 ST-reserved assembly seats in 2023 and both ST-reserved Lok Sabha seats in 2024. Popular Valmiki functionaries opposing the relocation consisted of PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi. The neighborhood is likewise miffed over B Nagendra and KN Rajanna being dropped from the cabinet. An area of the Kuruba neighborhood has actually revealed aggravation over viewed inactiveness. Senior MLC and Kuruba AH Viswanath stated, “Siddaramaiah is making a fool of Kurubas. While his govt has not done anything to get the ST tag for the community all these days, he suddenly brought the issue to the fore.
This is his ploy to circumvent a power-sharing pact, according to which he must hand over the CM post to his deputy DK Shivakumar in Nov.
He is just trying to blackmail the Congress high command.” Popular Kurubas such as previous deputy CM KS Eshwarappa and Parsannananda Puri Swami, who led a 335-km march from Keginele in Haveri district to Bengaluru in 2020, advised extension of the project. Eshwarappa stated, “Valmiki representatives need not be worried. While we want the ST tag for Kurubas, let the govt increase ST quota proportionately after adding our community.” Presently categorized under the 2A classification of OBCs with 15% appointment, Kurubas are approximated to hold around 7% of that quota. Leaders recommend the ST appointment must be boosted to 14% once the neighborhood is consisted of.