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The Karnataka State OBC Welfare Association and the Karnataka State Federation of Backward Class Communities have threatened to approach the court against the State government if it were to include Panchamasalis under 2A category of the OBC reservation matrix.
K.M. Ramachandrappa, president of the federation, told reporters in Bagalkot on Sunday that the federation and other organisations were strongly opposed to the planned move. If Panchamasalis, who are already in the 3B category, are included in 2A, there would be unfair competition between them and other deprived communities who truly deserve to be in the group, he said.
“We will first urge the State government not to yield to the demand of the Panchamasali community. If they don’t listen to us, we will have no other option but to approach the court,‘’ he said. “We will meet the Chief Minister in Belagavi on Monday to express our reservations. We will urge him not to yield to such political pressures. We will also warn him of the dangers of opening Pandora’s box that could lead to multiple communities asking for similar benefits,’‘ he added.
He said that Panchamasalis are the largest landowners in the villages. “They are addressed as Gowda, Jagirdar, and Dhani and other similar terms. How can they be clubbed together with backward communities like barbers and other landless vocational castes, in the same group?” he sought to know.
Mr. Ramachandrappa held a meeting of leaders of various backward communities, in Bagalkot on Sunday and in Vijayapura on Saturday. In the meeting, he said that granting 2A status to Panchamaslis was “not acceptable on technical and moral grounds” since it has emerged out of “arm-twisting tactics” of a powerful community.
“Technically, it is not tenable as it has come as a result of an agitation and arm-twisting tactics by a politically powerful community and not the result of a scientific study of the permanent backward commission. Secondly, the State government has limited powers to legislate on such issues as the 102nd constitutional amendment stipulates that Parliament has to pass a law based on such recommendations from the Centre. Panchamasali leaders have claimed that the State government has assured them of including them in the 2A category. This fails the test of reasonable classification mandated by the Constitution, as Panchamasalis are neither socially nor educationally backward, nor are they as deprived as the other 102 communities presently in the 2A category,’‘ he said.
“In its judgment in the Jaishree Patil vs. State of Maharashtra case, the Supreme court has observed that such laws or orders by the State government are unconstitutional if they are not based on quantifiable, reliable, and scientific data collected by the OBC commission. That is the Maratha reservation order issued by the Maharashtra government was set aside. Karnataka government is trying to commit the same mistake,‘’ Mr. Ramachandrappa said.
Morally, too, it is not fair to include them in the 2A category. “One, it is a powerful community and we are no match to them. Two, it has institutions such as religious mutts, cooperative societies, and education societies to fight for its interests while we lack such institutions. Thirdly, it has adequate political representation. Across northern Karnataka, it is the Lingayats who are elected from most of the unreserved seats. Panchamasalis constitute at least half of all the Lingayats who are elected to public offices — from the gram panchayat to Parliament,‘’ he said. Sharanappa Sunkad, Mahadev Hadapad, Dharaneppa Navi, and other leaders were present in the meeting.
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