Tumakuru: Senior JD (S) leader H. D. Kumaraswamy said on Saturday June 25 that if elected as the next Chief Minister, he would grant the Kunchatiga Vokkaliga community members OBC status.
He was speaking in Tumakuru at the Kunchatiga Vokkaliga community convention. “The proposal has not been approved by the Union Government. However, states have the discretion to do so in accordance with a recent Supreme Court directive. I am not sure if I’ll become the CM, but if I do, it will be with the blessing of the religious heads,” he said.
“If Kumaraswamy had served as the CM for a further six months during the coalition government, the community would have succeeded in its mission. To obtain the OBC status, we must fight both inside and outside of Vidhana Soudha. The Kunchatigas should enroll Vokkaligas as the name of their community,” said Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swami, Head of Adichunchanagiri Mutt.
The religious head of the Kunchatiga Vokkaliga community, Sri Nanjavadhuta, urged that community members register at their schools as Vokkaligas rather than Hindu Kunchatigas. A. Narayanaswamy, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice, expressed regret that the group has not yet received the OBC status even though the BJP is in control in both the state and Centre. BJP MP and former Union Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda and Naranayaswamy both promised to make efforts in this regard.
Naranayaswamy and BJP MP and former Union Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda promised that they will put in efforts in this regard. Primary and Secondary Education Minister B. C. Nagesh, MLAs Dr. C. M. Rajesh Gowda and M. V. Veerabhadraiah, former Minister T. B. Jayachandra and others were present.
