ST reservation: Call for protests in Karnataka at district, taluk level

The reservation for Scheduled Tribes was fixed at 3% in Karnataka in 1958. Over the years, the population has increased, as new tribes were included. As per the 2011 census, the population of STs was 42.48 lakh, accounting for 7% of the population

Expressing disappointment over the delay in increasing the percentage of quota for Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka, leaders of the community have called for protests at taluk and district levels in May.

B. Shivappa, a retired IAS officer, representing the forum fighting for increase in the quota, addressed a press conference in Hassan on April 28. He said Valmiki Prasannananda swamiji had been staging a protest for the last 77 days in Bengaluru on the issue, but the Karnataka Government is yet to respond.

The reservation for Scheduled Tribes was fixed at 3% in Karnataka in 1958, considering the number of tribes and the population prevailing then. “There were only nine tribes. Over the years, the population has increased, as new tribes were included. As per the 2011 census, the population of STs stands at 42.48 lakh, accounting for 7% of the population. The Karnataka Government should have increased the quota without necessitating protests on the issue,” he said.

The previous JD(S)-Congress government constituted a one-man commission under the chairmanship of Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das. The commission submitted its report three years ago. The present government had constituted a cabinet sub-committee on the issue, but is yet to take a decision.

“We plan to organise protests at taluk and district level to put pressure on the government on this issue,” he said.

When asked why elected representatives of the community are silent on this issue, K.S. Mruthyunjaya, also a part of the forum, said elected representatives had spoken on the issue on some occasions. However, people had to fight for their rights keeping aside all differences.