Panchamasali quota agitation will be intensified, says seer

Lawyers agitation committee has been formed

Basava Jayamrutyunjaya Swami of Kudalasangam Panchamasali Peetha said in Belagavi on Sunday (September 22, 2024) that the agitation to seek re-categorisation of the reservation to the community will intensify in the coming days.

He was speaking at the formation of a committee consisting of advocates from the community to contribute to the agitation and handle litigation.

“We have been keeping quiet all these days as we were hoping the Congress government in the state would fulfil our demands. But the government is unnecessarily delaying it. We have no option left other than to intensify the agitation. We need to tell the rulers that silence is not a weakness. We will relaunch the agitation and hold rallies across the state,’‘ he said.

He praised community leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for his vocal support of the agitation. “There is no leader of this stature in the Congress,’‘ he said.

Later, the seer told a reporter that he had two main demands- re-categorisation of Panchamasali Lingayats into the 2A Other Backward Classes category and inclusion of Lingayats into the central OBC list. “If the State government can not give us 2A status, let us support our demand for seeking inclusion into the central list. It is not doing that either. We are disappointed,’‘ he said.

“Some Congress leaders tend to think that Panchamasali or Lingayats have not supported them in the assembly or Lok Sabha polls. That is wrong. They have strongly backed the Congress in these polls,’‘ he said.

To a query, he said he was not restricting his fight to Panchamasalis, but to the whole Lingayat community and that he wanted all groups of Lingayats to be included in the central OBC list.

To a query, he said he had sought inclusion into 2A as he wanted more opportunities for education and employment for the community members. “However, we do not want political reservation.

We have given that in writing, ‘‘ he said.

He said that the formation of the advocates’ committee would have the desired effect as they would articulate the demands well. “I hope the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is an advocate, understands our plight,’‘ he said. He said he was upset with former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other leaders who had not kept their word to the community leaders and seers.

Published - September 23, 2024 08:57 am IST