BENGALURU: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said they will demand the ruling Congress government in the state to implement a hike in quotas for the Scheduled Tribes.
Speaking at a function organized by the BJP ST Morcha here on Friday, Basavaraj Bommai said the previous BJP government led by him had taken the historic decision of increasing the reservation for the SCs and STs.
“No community will progress with mere speeches. Presently, social justice has been restricted to only a few people, and those living in rural areas have not at all benefited. But the benefits had reached the family members of a few people. If the benefits failed to reach the last man in society, they must think about what sort of governance this was. What they had gone through was the inclusion of the castes to the SCs and STs, but they never hiked reservations”, Bommai said.
He said the demand to hike the quota for the STs to 7 per cent started in the state after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government did it at the central government level.
“The constitutional power given to the Backward Classes Commission was given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fake social justice champions had done injustice to these communities. The communities must support those who would give them justice and opportunities. As many as 15 STs MLAs who lost in last year’s Assembly polls must make self-introspection,” he added.
Bommai said the pontiffs and leaders of those communities fought for the hike in reservation, but the Congress party did not do anything.
“After the BJP came to power, we decided in the Cabinet meeting held in Kalaburgi to celebrate Valmiki Jayanti. This struck unity among the community and they fought for the hike in quota. Many advised me not to touch the reservation issue as it was like disturbing the hornet’s nest. I was ready to be stung by the bees, but I wanted to give the honey to the community. Subsequently, the government decided to hike the quota for the SCs and STs without bothering about its effects. This enabled the ST students to get more seats in professional courses like engineering and medicine”, he said.
“We will hold the stick and demand the incumbent government to implement the quota announced by our government for the STs. The community members may rest, but we will not rest till the government implements the decision. The ST community must vote for the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls to fulfil their long-pending demand”, the former CM said.
The BJP leader said the Congress leaders have told that they would implement the Sadashiv Commission report and at the same time they say the government would recommend to the Central Government in this regard.
“The Congress party now talks of the Justice Sadashiva Commission recommendations as the parliamentary polls are fast approaching and naturally, the people will question them. What they had been talking about was the bogus internal reservation as the matter is before the Supreme Court”, he said.
“Now, they were talking about making recommendations in this regard to the Government of India. You nurture leaders in the community as there are many capable leaders. Instead of cheering the speeches of others, you cheer your leaders. The icons of the community, Madakari Nayak and Surapur Nayak, had saved the Vijayanagar kingdom. This community had been at the forefront of the freedom struggle. Narendra Modi is sure to become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time but it is important how many seats Karnataka will provide in the formation of the next government,” he said, adding that the party must work together to win all 28 seats in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, former ministers Govind Karjol, B Sriramulu, C T Ravi, Raje Gouda, Shivanagouda Nayak and others were present. (ANI)