Karnataka's Reservation Row: Panchamasali Lingayat's Demand Sparks Debate

Leaders of the Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation submitted a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, opposing the inclusion of the Panchamasali Lingayat community in the backward category-2A. The Panchamasali community demands this inclusion for more reservation but face opposition citing their financial and social strength.

In Karnataka, the debate over caste reservation intensifies as leaders of the State Backward Castes Federation submitted a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday. Central to the controversy is the Panchamasali Lingayat community, whose leaders are advocating against their inclusion in the backward category-2A, emphasizing their solid financial and social standing.

Currently, the Panchamasali Lingayat community is fighting a 12-year battle for inclusion in the 2A category, which offers a 15% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions, an upgrade from their current 3B classification that provides a 5% quota. Their agitation, supported by prominent figures like the Kudalasangama Panchamasali Math pontiff Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swami, recently escalated into a significant protest in Belagavi, leading to violence and police intervention.

Political figures like former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai have criticized the government's handling of the situation. Bommai insists that the new reservation policy introduced by the previous administration should be fully implemented. He also condemned the police's high-handed actions during the protests and called for immediate dialogue between the state government and the Panchamasali community to ensure a peaceful resolution.

(With inputs from agencies.)