Haveri (Shiggaon): Accusing the incumbent Congress government of anti-reservation, Former CM and MP Basavaraj Bommai said in the past and current years, Congress has betrayed the SC and ST communities by using the Rs 24,000 crores reserved for their development for guarantee schemes.

Speaking at the SC Morcha meeting organized by the BJP in Shiggaon on Wednesday, he said that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, advocated for reservation based on population. Decisions taken by them could result in constitutional amendments throughout the country. A Congress leader had approached the Supreme Court to remove the Bovi, Koracha, Korama, and Lambani communities from the SC list. The SC Commission at the Center reviewed this, and the file came to him. These communities were in the original SC list from 1934, and removing them is impossible. As long as the sun and moon exist, removing the Bovi, Koracha, Korama, Lambani, and Chalavadi communities from the Scheduled Castes list is impossible.

Bommai pointed out that even though the leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, filed a petition to increase reservation for the SC and ST communities, no Congress member hiked it. Siddaramaiah, during his previous five-year term, never turned to the SC community but now pretends to be their supporter. The Congress has done nothing for Dr Ambedkar or his followers. However, if there is any chief minister who has increased SC/ST reservations, it is Basavaraj Bommai, he stated.

When the proposal for reservation increase came up, Congress leaders told me not to disturb the status quo, comparing it to handling a beehive. They threatened to remove me from the CM position, but he was determined to show them otherwise. Despite the difficulties, he ensured justice for these communities by not only issuing a government order but also passing it in the Legislative Assembly, getting the Governor’s approval, and notifying it in the gazette. This resulted in an increase in engineering and medical seats for these communities over the past two years. The children must progress.

The former CM slammed Congress for their selective approach, saying that if they visit the Bovi and Banjara communities, they do nothing, but if they go to other left-leaning communities, they promise reservation.

Ridiculing Congress as being inconsistent, he said they agree when it suits them and deny when it does not.

Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council, and other local leaders were present.