With elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh over, the Bharatiya Janata Party has set its sights on its southern stronghold of Karnataka, which will go to polls in a few months. However, the party finds itself in a precarious position with two prominent and politically powerful communities, the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, pushing for an increase in reservations – a move that could make or break governments. Influential leaders of both the communities have set a deadline to fulfill their demands. While the Panchasmali Lingayats have sought a decision by December 19, the Vokkaligas have set January 2 as the deadline.
So what is it that they want?
The demands by these communities have been raised again after the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in Karnataka recently increased reservations for SC (15 to 17 percent) and ST (3 to 7 percent) communities. 56 percent to Karnataka. The strategy clearly has the upcoming elections in mind.
Both the Lingayat and Vokkaliga upper castes have dominated Karnataka politics for decades. Lingayats constitute about 17 percent of Karnataka’s population while Vokkaligas form about 15 percent. The BJP’s political fortunes also depend on how the Panchamasali Lingayats are kept happy as they dominate the Kittur Karnataka region and can influence over 100 assembly seats.
However, Karnataka’s political scene is replete with several Chief Ministers from the Lingayat community such as S Nijalignappa (Congress), SR Bommai (Janata Party), JH Patel (JDS), BS Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai (all from BJP). The Panchamasali sect has been claiming that it has not been given significant political representation despite forming a large part of the Veerashaiva Lingayat caste pie chart.
Demand for Panchamasali Lingayat reservation
The deadline of December 19 has been set by the Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-sect of the Lingayat community, to extend the reservation status. The date that has been set is the first day of the winter session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and prominent saints of the Panchamasali community have warned Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai that he is sitting on a “time bomb” if he does not take their demand seriously. The Panchmasali community has been demanding inclusion under the 2A category of the OBC quota to be eligible for 15 per cent reservation for government jobs and education. The current quota is 5 percent.
Of Karnataka’s 60 million population, the Panchamasalis claim 17 percent of the state’s Lingayat population, more than 70 percent. The Veerashaiva Panchamasali Lingayats who are currently classified under 3B category are demanding to be classified under 2A, the more backward category of OBCs.
Jaya Mrityunjaya Swamy, a prominent seer, had earlier this year threatened to launch an agitation and protest in front of the Shiggaon (Haveri) residence of Bommai – a Lingayat – if the demand for reservation was not met. Another Lingayat seer, Shri Vachanananda Swamy, who was once seen using a public platform to warn the then Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, if he did not include more ‘Panchamasalis’ while expanding his cabinet They will also lose their political clout. Who are putting pressure on the ruling BJP.
“CM Bommai’s delaying strategy is pressurizing us to intensify our agitation. The community has been patient and when the reservation quota for other groups has been increased then why not decide on our demand?” said Jaya Mrityunjaya Swamy.
This is not the first time that Panchamasali Lingayats have protested demanding reservation. In 2021, influential and prominent Lingayat seers led a two-month-long protest march from Bagalkot in north Karnataka to Bengaluru, demanding this increase in reservation. After much persuasion, the then Chief Minister Yediyurappa convinced them to withdraw their protest, seeking time to address their demand constitutionally and legally.
Murugesh Nirani, a senior BJP leader and now industries minister in the Bommai government, was one of the first to start the movement against reservation. He was not included in the cabinet at that time, but later calmed down when he was given a fat portfolio. Another ministerial aspirant, BJP MLA Basavaraj Yatnal accepted the demand of the protest and threatened to go on hunger strike if the demand was not met.
Yediyurappa constituted a three-member committee headed by retired High Court Justice Subhash Adi to find a solution. As pressure mounted on the Bommai government, they are said to have sought a report from the Advocate General on “if reservation can be provided, as per constitutional provisions and Supreme Court orders”. In parallel, a government source revealed that a survey is being conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission to ascertain whether provisions can be made for the Panchamasalis based on their socioeconomic status and backwardness. However, the BJP government got relief after the Karnataka High Court ordered a stay on the assessment of the community. backwardness in august
News18 has learned that the state BJP unit has now turned towards the central leadership and the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi To try and find a solution to this issue. The party is hoping that the Modi magic can help woo back these key communities and return to power.
Vokkaligas demand a bigger share
The Vokkaligas form another major segment and are an equally politically influential community like the Lingayats. Their community leaders, along with the Lingayats, demanded an increase in the OBC quota from their present 4 per cent to 12 per cent. Vokkaligas constitute 16 per cent of the voting population in the state. As we saw in the case of the Panchamasali Lingayats, influential seers from the Vokkaliga community also started putting pressure on the state government.
Trying to make significant political gains in the old Mysore region, the BJP will have to appease the Vokkaliga community, which is said to have its stronghold in the region. The party will have to take decisions in such a way that the social balance in the state is not affected. The fortunes of the BJP can improve to a great extent if it gets a large support from the community.
Swami Nirmalanandanath, a prominent Vokkaliga saint who has been one of those spearheading the growing demand for increased reservation, said not all 115 sub-sections of his community are classified as OBCs. He stressed that many people have been left out of the benefits of basic quotas like appointment to government jobs and their inclusion is necessary.
Vokkaligas, considered largely economically prosperous, are now demanding inclusion in the central OBC list and be classified under category 3A of the OBC block. Under this, they have been given the right to 4 per cent reservation. But a section of Vokkaligas, including political leaders and influential seers, are demanding higher reservation in the OBC pool commensurate with their population. Vokkaligas make up 16 per cent of Karnataka’s population, but they have only 4 per cent reservation, which is disproportionate, he says.
A memorandum signed unanimously by several Vokkaliga seers and legislators from the community across party lines was handed over to Revenue Minister and BJP MLA R Ashok. He promised to make “sincere efforts to convince the leadership” of the demands and try to fulfill them. Swami Nirmalanandanath insisted that he was ready to take the struggle to the next level and fight till his demands were met.
“The state government will have to closely consider all the demands and discuss them with the Centre. This is not a simple matter and we understand what it would mean for us electorally,” said a senior BJP minister when asked by News18 about the demand.
chimes in other communities
Not wanting to remain backward, many other communities have also raised the demand for increasing the reservation.
Kuruba is the third largest caste group after Lingayat and Vokkaliga. Siddaramaiah, the leader of the opposition and the person who enjoys the support of the Ahinda (minorities or minorities, Hindulidavaru or backward classes, and Dalitaru or Dalits) community, is a Kuruba.
Valmiki-Nayak, another influential Scheduled Tribe community represented by senior BJP leader B Sriramulu, has also reiterated its demand to increase the quantum of ST quota from 3 per cent to 7.5 per cent. Members of the Savita Samaj and the Uppara community, who are much smaller in number, have also raised the demand for better representation this election season.
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