Internal quota: Dalit Left communities and STs gear up for protests in Karnataka

Dalit Left communities and STs in Karnataka prepare protests against recruitment cap affecting reservation rights and internal quotas.

As the State government has asked recruitment departments/authorities to initiate recruitment for 56,432 posts with a cap of 50% in reservation and without internal reservation among Scheduled Castes, the Dalit Left communities and Scheduled Tribes affected by the decision are gearing up for protests against the decision.

They could demand resignation of Dalit Left Ministers in the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet, K.H. Muniyappa and R.B. Thimmapur, to build pressure on the government. They are also planning to approach the court.

While the Dalit Left communities that have fought for internal reservation for nearly four decades are upset at the DPAR notification that has asked the recruitment departments/authorities to go ahead with notifications as per 50% reservation cap and without internal reservation, the ST community is incensed at its quota being brought down from 7% to the earlier 3%.

R.B. Thimmapur

Activists from these communities also indicated that they will coordinate their actions together. Though the government has said that 2% and 4% posts will be reserved for SCs and STs respectively, till the court order, the communities claim that SCs and STs are set to lose about 1,128 and 2,257 posts, respectively, in the current recruitment cycle.

“We do not want the government to start the recruitment process without 7% reservation. The State government should urge the Centre to bring the 56% reservation in the 9thSchedule. The 7% reservation was based on our population. The community will stand to lose if the recruitment goes ahead,” said Deepak Palegar, president of Mysuru-based Ekalavya Vidyarthi Yuvajana Parishat, a youth organistion of the Valmiki community.