Some Panchamasali leaders to stay away from reservation protest

Some Panchamasali community leaders have distanced themselves from the Panchamasali reservation agitation committee’s plans to lay siege to the Suvarna Soudha during the winter session as part of its on going agitation, saying it is being politicised.

Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar told reporters in Bagalkot on Wednesday that he was upset with Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami, honourary president of the committee, who, he alleged, had made it a one-party movement. “He seems to have made it an anti-Congress agitation backed by the BJP. I would request him to openly declare that it is a political movement to support the BJP and not a social movement to gain better reservation benefits to Panchamasali Lingayats,” Mr. Kashappanavar, national president of the committee, said.

The seer had announced in a meeting in Belagavi in October that he would lead siege to the winter session venue to press for the demands.

“I started the agitation to recategorise the Panchamasali Lingayats to Other Backward Classes 2A group. I also organised the community and helped establish the Mutt. But the seer has not only taken over the agitation, but made it a pro-BJP movement. That was not the original intention,” he said. He clarified that he would not participate in the proposed protest against the State government in front of the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi on December 10.

He also claimed that several leaders like Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had not received formal invitation to the protest.

“Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has assured us that he would take a decision towards fulfilling the community’s demands, once the final report of the backward classes commission is released. There is no urgent need for a protest in front of the Suvarna Soudha. We will decide on the future course of action after an all party meeting in Bengaluru,” the MLA said. He said he would invite Panchamasali leaders like Murugesh Nirani to the meeting, but he had not yet decided on inviting Mr. Yatnal.

Ms Hebbalkar, who spoke to reporters in Vijayapura on Wednesday, said she would not be part of the agitation. “Any agitation for the community should not become politicised,” she said.

Published - November 27, 2024 09:14 pm IST