The BJP has objected to the Karnataka government’s decision to introduce revised internal reservation among the Scheduled Castes, questioning its basis and impact, while the Congress has defended the move as a long-awaited measure backed by popular support.
Chitradurga BJP MP Govind Karjol asked the government to clarify whether it had rejected the report of the Justice HN Nagammohan Das committee as unscientific. Referring to the restructuring of shares, he said that the decision was “the final nail in the coffin.”
He also said that dividing the 15% reservation into 5.25%, 5.25% and 4.5% “betrays marginalized communities.”
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, said the decision, taken after a three-year delay, was arbitrary and would not be subject to legal scrutiny. He said the Scheduled Castes were “left in the lurch”.
“The Congress government in Karnataka, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has committed historic treason and stabbed the Scheduled Castes in the back,” BJP state president P Vijayendra said. In a post on He also said that the previous BJP government had increased reservations from 15% to 17%, while the current government had reduced the allocations.
The Congress defended the decision, and Minister Satish Jarkiholi said it had the approval of the public. He described it as a “historic” step, and said that it was approved unanimously in a special cabinet meeting attended by ministers from different sects, without differences of opinion. He added: “There is satisfaction among all departments.”
Responding to the BJP, Jarkiholi said: “It is common for opposition parties to find fault in every decision taken by the government. This is a historic pro-people move, and the popular support is proof of that.”
Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa called for unity among the Scheduled Castes. He said: “We are all one family. Brothers and sisters. We have shared our share. There is no room for differences. Let us move forward together.”
He described the decision as the result of decades of struggle. He said, “The decision taken by the special meeting of the Council of Ministers to implement internal reservation in the deprived sects is not just a decision. It is the victory of 40 years of pain and struggle.”
“The fruits of the sacrifices made by the continuous struggle of freedom fighters, thinkers and nobles have been achieved through the allocation of internal reservations. This is not the end. It is a new beginning. The struggle for equality, respect and rights will continue,” he said.
He said the allotment meets the long-standing demands of 101 Scheduled Caste communities, including the Madiga community, and called for awareness so that people can avail education, government jobs and other opportunities under the policy. He added that the decision is in line with the resolution adopted at the Scheduled Castes Conference in Chitradurga and the promise made in the Congress party’s election manifesto for 2023.
