Panchamasali issue: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says he will table copy of Supreme Court order to show BJP had given undertaking on maintaining status quo on reservation matrix

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday launched a counter-attack at the Opposition BJP on the Panchamasali Lingayat community’s demand for increasing its reservation quantum, by alleging that the erstwhile BJP government had given an undertaking to the Supreme Court saying that it would maintain status quo on the reservation matrix.

This, he said, is contrary to the saffron party’s claims that it had set in motion a process to increase reservation for the Panchamasali sect.

Replying to the BJP’s Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal, who demanded an increase in reservation for the Panchamasali community ahead of its protest in Belagavi on Tuesday in this regard, the Chief Minister declared that he would produce a copy of the Supreme Court’s directive that followed the then BJP government’s undertaking.

The Chief Minister said the erstwhile BJP government had removed the 4% reservation given to Muslims and redistributed a part of it to the Panchamasali community. But later, the government had filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court saying that it would maintain status quo on reservation matrix, he said.

Reach out to commission

Stating that he had repeatedly told the Panchamasali community members that he would not stand between them and their demand for increase in reservation, the Chief Minister said he had been telling the community members that they need to approach the Karnataka Permanent Backward Classes Commission to seek an increase in reservation.

Earlier, the BJP members, led by Mr. Yatnal, staged a dharna in the Well of the House to protest against the Belagavi district administration’s order banning the entry of tractors and other heavy vehicles into the border town in connection with the protest being planned by the Panchamasali community on Tuesday seeking an increase in reservation.

While the House had been adjourned for lunch amidst the protest, the members resumed the dharna when the House met again.

Law and order issue

At that time, Home Minister G. Parameshwara explained that the permission for entry of vehicles had been banned as the police had information that the protesters were planning to bring about 5,000 tractors. The police need to ban such things in the wake of maintaining law and order as the legislature session is going on, he pointed out.

He assured the Panchamashali community of providing restricted permission if they do not bring these many vehicles. Following this, the protesting members withdrew the dharna.