Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Thursday his government will take a “clear decision” through “negotiations” on providing internal reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC), a delicate matter that carries political ramifications.
Siddaramaiah said the government would study the AJ Sadashiva Commission report that recommended internal quotas for SCs in the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict, which he hailed as a “historic” decision.
“We will thoroughly study the Sadashiva Commission’s recommendations. If necessary, we will take into account recent developments and arrive at a clear decision on internal reservation through consultation and negotiation,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
“The Supreme Court verdict has resolved the main obstacle that was coming in the way of internal reservation,” Siddaramaiah said.
However, Siddaramaiah described as “controversial” the top court’s stand on creamy layer. “We will hold consultations with Scheduled Caste leaders and legal experts to take appropriate action,” he said.
Disregarding opposition within Congress over internal reservation, the Siddaramaiah administration in January this year lobbed to ball into the union government's court by recommending a Constitutional amendment.
SC (Left) leaders in Congress want internal quotas. But SC (Right), Lambanis and Bhovis - the touchable Dalits - are against the "unscientific" Sadashiva Commission's report, which they say will hit their prospects.
The Sadashiva Commission submitted its report in 2012. Between 2013 and 2018, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress was accused of sitting on the report angering the SC (Left) who argue that most of the reservation benefits are taken by the SC (Right).
In march 2023, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government "rejected" the Sadashiva Commission report. Using a different methodology, it decided to recommend to the union government internal reservation of 6% for SC (Left), 5.5% for SC (Right), 4.5% for touchables and 1% for others, which led to protests from Lambanis who feared that they would lose out.
Siddaramaiah said the previous BJP government decided on the matter in haste. "Also, the union government did nothing despite the Usha Mehra committee, which was set up by them, recommending Constitutional amendment to implement internal reservation," he said.
Siddaramaiah maintained that Congress is committed to providing internal reservation. "It was a Congress government that set up the Sadashiva Commission report whose implementation was among our manifesto promises," he said.