Congress trying to create confusion over increase in quota for SC/ST: Bommai

Chief Minister Bommai accused the Congress of raking up the issue as the party was worried about losing SC and ST votes

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has blamed the Congress party for creating confusion over the State government’s recent decision to increase reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru enroute to Chamarajanagar on Tuesday, Mr. Bommai said the Congress was creating confusion by citing the recent reply given by the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ms. Pratima Bhoumik in the Rajya Sabha, that there was no proposal before the Centre to alter the reservation scheme.

Mr. Bommai argued the Union Minister’s reply pertained only to the question asked by a Rajya Sabha member whether there was any proposal before the Government at present. “It (proposal) may not be at present. But, tomorrow our proposal (to increase the quota) will be presented (before the Union Government),” he said.

He accused the Congress of raking up the issue as the party was worried about losing SC and ST votes.

The Congress had sought a clarification from the Chief Minister on the status of the State Government’s proposal to increase the quota for SCs from the present 15% to 17% and for STs from 3% to 7% in light of the Union Minister’s response to a question from Dr Ambumani Ramadoss whether the Government had any proposal to relax the 50% ceiling on reservations.

The party had demanded to know how the Bommai government proposed to give effect to the increase in quota from the present 50% to 56% to accommodate the recent hike for SCs and STs.

Mr. Bommai said the Congress had ignored the demand for increasing the quota for SCs and STs, which had been pending for the last 40 years. He added that the Congress could not deceive people by assuring them internal reservation.