It was Valmiki seer Prasannananda Puri Swami’s unrelenting protest lasting for over 250 days that spooked the ruling BJP, forcing it to expedite the process of promulgating an ordinance to hike reservation for SC/STs in the state.
Valmiki is a dominant ST community in Karnataka. As the seer’s protest neared 100 days, it had a cascading effect and started building momentum within community in all districts. Also, the stir started drawing Dalit communities, too.
Karnataka has 15 Assembly constituencies reserved for STs and 36 seats for SCs. Together, the SC/STs can make or break in 180-200 constituencies.
A person directly involved in the government’s decision to hike SC/ST reservation told DH that the state intelligence unit was keeping close watch on the stir and the seer’s unrelenting protest led to the awakening of the community at the grassroots level in the state.
“In the beginning everything was normal as the seer was not getting any backing from any political leader or party. He was on his own. As his stir neared 100 days, the stream of visitors started coming to meet him swelled. He was not just getting support of STs alone but he was backed by various Dalit communites as well. This was a big jolt,” the person explained.
The source added that realising that the situation might go out of control, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met the seer at Freedom Park on May 22 where he was
protesting.
“Bommai tried to convince him to break his protest by assuring him that his demands would be met in next couple of months. The seer categorically told the CM that he would not move from the place until he received a copy of the government order on the reservation hike,” the source pointed out.
After this, efforts by several backroom operators to convince the seer failed miserably.
“Meanwhile, the state intelligence report gave a firm picture about how SC/ST communities started drifting away from the BJP. Various Dalit communities started holding protests at the district and taluk level and by the time the seer completed 150 days, protests erupted at villages,” the source said.
The seer called off his protest only after Revenue Minister R Ashoka handed over the gazette copy of the ordinance on October 24. The protest lasted 257 days.