Bengaluru: The Basavaraj Bommai-led authorities in Karnataka has in precept accepted an “interim report” submitted by the backward courses fee within the state, for upgrading the categorisation of Lingayats and Vokkaligas within the different backward courses (OBC) reservation. The transfer is being seen as an try by the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) authorities within the state to placate the 2 most dominant caste teams in Karnataka and win their assist forward of subsequent yr’s meeting elections.
Although there is no such thing as a empirical information on caste-based inhabitants within the state, it’s extensively believed that Lingayats represent about 17 per cent of the populace in Karnataka, whereas Vokkaligas are believed to comprise round 15 per cent. Each are higher castes and have dominated Karnataka politics for many years.
Whereas the interim report was submitted to the CM on 22 December, an announcement on the state’s in-principle acceptance was made by Karnataka regulation minister J.C. Madhuswamy Thursday. The creation of recent classes for the caste teams throughout the OBC will see reservation for the 2 in schooling and authorities jobs within the state go up by “at the least two-three per cent”, although Madhuswamy mentioned the finer particulars in regards to the quota are but to be finalised.
“The ultimate report is just for growing quota, however we are going to carry them as much as 2C & 2D (class in OBC). There might be no meddling with 2A & 2B and that may stay as it’s. The share saved below EWS (economically weaker sections) might be distributed to extend the reservation for these two teams,” Madhuswamy defined.
Whereas Class ‘1’ of OBC to this point included 95 important caste teams, Class ‘2’ reservation, for excessive backward courses within the state, to this point included two sub-categories — 2A, which included 102 important caste teams, outstanding castes like Kurubas and Idigah and several other sub-castes, and 2B, for Muslims. Vokkaligas to this point constituted class 3A, with a reservation of 4 per cent, whereas Veerashaiva-Lingayats shaped class 3B and loved 5 per cent reservation.
Reddys, Naidus had been among the different caste teams included in 3A Class of OBC, whereas Marathas, Aryas shaped a part of 3B. Whereas it’s believed that by shifting Lingayats and Vokkaligas into Class 2, the federal government will cast off the 3A and 3B Classes, it’s but unclear what is going to occur to the opposite castes which had been a part of these classes.
The economically weaker part (EWS) quota of 10 per cent within the state is split amongst Brahmins, Jain, Arya Vaishya, Nagarthas and Mudaliars, who’re believed to account for roughly 4 per cent of the state’s estimated 70 million inhabitants.
Now a portion of the EWS quota might be diverted to Lingayats and Vokkaligas, below the brand new 2C and 2D class of the OBC.
Madhuswamy mentioned that Karnataka will repair the EWS quota by estimating the inhabitants of the eligible communities. “Then, the remaining share factors might be allotted to the newly created classes,” he mentioned.
Whereas political analysts have raised concern over “injustice to unvoiced teams” prompted because of the reorganisation of the EWS quota, to learn Lingayats and Vokkaligas, R. Ashoka, Karnataka’s minister for income and a member of the Vokkaliga neighborhood, mentioned Friday that “in comparison with different states we (Karnataka) have a decrease variety of castes who’re eligible for EWS.
He added: “So, now we have extra alternatives (to redistribute quota) right here. In that view, by inflicting no anguish to any neighborhood now we have extra alternatives to offer the extra quota to newly created classes.”
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What’s going to change in reservation for Vokkaligas and Lingayats
Vokkaligas, a primarily farming neighborhood, had earlier this month submitted a memorandum to CM Bommai demanding 12 per cent reservation in schooling and jobs.
Whereas outstanding Panchamasali spiritual head, Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami, who had earlier this month led a march to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha as a part of a quota stir, mentioned Thursday that the neighborhood — a sub-sect of Lingayats — didn’t need political reservation, however quota in jobs and schooling, it’s extensively believed the Panchamasalis desires one among their members to be made Chief Minister, as they represent about 60 per cent of Lingayats, and declare that to this point the chance has been given solely to these from smaller sub-castes.
This demand is believed to have been there ever since Bommai, a member of the Sadr Lingayat neighborhood, changed B.S. Yediyurappa as CM final July. Karnataka industries minister and member of Panchamasali neighborhood, Murugesh Nirani, was earlier projected as a potential contender for the put up.
“The satan might be within the particulars. It seems to be just like the losers would be the Brahmins within the EWS class,” mentioned one Bengaluru-based political analyst, requesting anonymity.
In response to A. Narayana, a Bengaluru-based political analyst, your complete train of utilizing the reservation meant for social justice as a “poverty alleviation programme” was just for cementing the “dominant caste concept”, and within the course of meting out additional injustice to the “unvoiced teams” in Karnataka.
“For anybody to assert extra reservation, it must be proved that their illustration in paperwork and politics could be very skinny. Solely when it’s absent or miniscule, then reservation may be given,” he mentioned.
‘Dominant backward class’
With 2023 meeting elections only a few months away, the BJP might be hoping that the OBC improve, will increase assist for the celebration not simply amongst its core Lingayat votebank, but in addition among the many Vokkaligas, who kind a giant a part of the inhabitants within the Previous Mysuru area, the place the BJP is but to make its presence felt.
The BJP managed to get simply 104 of 224 seats within the 2018 meeting elections in Karnataka and by placating the Vokkaligas, who’ve historically consolidated behind the previous Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), it hopes to get sufficient seats right here to offer it an absolute majority within the 2023 meeting elections.
The Vokkaligas have backed the BJP within the 2019 Lok Sabha, serving to it win an unprecedented 25 of 28 seats within the state, however didn’t totally assist it within the meeting. In the meantime, the Lingayat neighborhood has consolidated its assist for the celebration, particularly behind Yediyurappa, since 2008. Although Yediyurappa grew to become CM in 2007, heading a coalition authorities, it was the Lingayat assist which helped BJP win in 2008.
Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst, mentioned that your complete train of giving elevated reservation for Lingayats and Vokkaligas was an try at “aggressive electoral features”.
Although solely the Panchamasalis and a piece throughout the Vokkaligas had been agitating for elevated reservation, the Bommai authorities is believed to have moved your complete group to a better categorisation below OBC to make sure there is no such thing as a break up within the group.
“Earlier the 2 dominant backward castes (Vokkaligas and Lingayats) had been put below Class 3. Now by shifting them to Class 2, one implication could possibly be all these in Class 2 are of the identical standing. Earlier Class 2 was thought-about extra backward and Class 3 was thought-about dominant backward castes,” Shastri mentioned.
The Bommai authorities has refused to launch the findings of the 2015 socio-economic and academic survey or ‘caste-census’, which leaves no empirical information to show dominance or backwardness for any caste group.
In Karnataka’s deeply caste-influenced society and politics, dominance has been successfully used to mobilise lots, discount for higher reservation in schooling, employment, politics and as Shastri places it, “dominance can be a query of social standing, status, energy…..”
No different neighborhood has extra illustration within the paperwork and politics as Vokkaligas and Lingayats, as there have been simply six chief ministers out of the 23 in Karnataka who don’t belong to those two teams. CMs who didn’t belong to those outstanding caste teams embody Devaraj Urs (Arasu neighborhood), Siddaramaiah (Kuruba), Ramakrishna Hegde and Gundu Rao (Brahmins), S. Bangarappa (Idiga), Dharam Singh (Rajput) and Veerappa Moily (Devadiga).
Within the years that the BJP has been in energy within the state since 2008 (intermittently), there have been three Lingayat CMs, B.S. Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Bommai, and one Vokkaliga CM, D.V. Sadananda Gowda.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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