In face-saver, CM gets panel to submit report

Shyam Sundar Vattam I NT

Bengaluru: The interim report of Karnataka Backward Commission with regard to the demand from various communities mainly Lingayat Panchamasalis, for inclusion under 2A category of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has come as a relief for the BJP government led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Commission Chairman K.Jayaprakash Hegde presented the interim report to the CM Thursday morning, just a few hours before Panchamasali leaders led by Sri Jayamruthyunjaya Swamiji of Panchamasali Mutt, Koodalasangama, held a massive convention in Belagavi to press for their demand for the quota.

With the seer arriving in Belagavi with a host of supporters for the huge show of strength, the CM realising the sensitivity of the issue ahead of the crucial Assembly polls, is said to have requested the Commission chairman and its members to submit at least the interim report so that the government would be able to reasure the seer that the interim report would be vetted by the government in consultation with the Law Department.

In fact, one of the demands of Sri Jayamruthyunjaya Swamiji was the submission of the report of the Backward Classes Commission at the earliest since it has been eight months since the matter was referred to the commission.

The holding of an indefinite stir as warned by the Panchamasalis, would have not only embarrassed the incumbent government but also given an opportunity to Opposition Congress members to promise to fulfill their demands as soon as they come to power in the State. As per the seer, the Panchamsali community has around 1.25 crore population across the state and will be a deciding factor in many constituencies in KalyanaKarnataka and Kittur-Karnataka regions.

The Bommai government knows very well that there would be strong opposition from communities already included in the 2A category to the move to include the Panchamasalis as they would lose opportunities.

The option before the government is to hike reservation for OBCs and push the ball to the Centre’ court seeking permission for this. The union government will then have to implement it if it wants the BJP to come back to power in Karnataka, added sources.