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Vijayapura: ‘Hike in SC/ST quota only election gimmick’

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Vijayapura: Describing the announcement of the BJP Government to increase the reservation quota of SC/STs, as mere political gimmick, veteran politician and AAP’s Karnataka Campaign Committee President, Mukhyamantri Chandru has challenged the Bommai Government to get it implemented on grounds before the end of this year.

Addressing mediapersons along with the party’s State President Prithvi Reddy on Saturday October 8, he wondered why the party did not increase the quota earlier and why it has taken the decision when the Assembly Elections are just a few months away.

“Justice Nagamohan Das had given the recommendation to the Government to increase the quota, which was done years ago. Why did the BJP Government not do it then? It clearly means that the decision has been taken only eying at the coming polls and not with the real concern for the SC/STs,” he remarked.

Finding faults in the decision, he said that as per the Apex Court, the reservation should not exceed 50 per cent and any increase should be done by bringing an amendment in the ninth schedule of the Constitution. Without bringing any such change, how the Government will be able to increase the reservation. The Government is only playing poll politics to woo the voters, he said.

Fearing that without bringing amendment in the Constitutions, the only way to increase the reservation for SC/ST is to take away the reservation given to other communities, Chandru made it clear that his party will not allow the reservations of others to be cut to increase the quota for SC/ST.

“We are clearly not against the Government increasing the quota but doing that cutting down the quota of others will not be allowed at any cost,” he said.

Calling the increase of quota without having the data of different communities unscientific, he demanded the Government to make the report of Kantharaj Commission public to know the exact population of different castes.

“The Government spent around Rs. 180 Crore to get the caste census done for giving internal reservation. But some influential communities found that their share of the quota will reduce if the report is implemented, and then exerted pressure on the Government not to accept the report.

That is why, neither Former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, nor his successors including B. S. Yediyurappa, H. D. Kumaraswamy and Basavaraj Bommai showed guts to accept the report and make it public.

“I challenge and demand the Government to table the report in the Assembly and accept it. Let the people of Karnataka know the population of different castes,” he said.

With regard to the reported Government order on writing the coming Staff Selection Commission exam only in Hindi and English, Chandru expressed anguish over the order. He said that as a level-playing field, the exam should be allowed to be written in all the regional languages. He demanded the State Government to stop the order and get the fresh order issued by the Central Government to allow people to write exams in regional languages also.

“If the Modi Government has real concern for the federal system and does not wish to impose Hindi over others, then it should allow people to write exams in regional languages. Else, people of the Hindi belt of the country will take away the majority of the jobs,” he said.

State Vice President Vijay Sharma, District President Rohan Ainapur, City President Bhogesh Solapur and City Spokesperson B. B. Biradar were present.

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