Demanding justice for reservation anomalies, the nomadic community begins protest at AICC premises.
Bengaluru
The Karnataka Untouchable Nomadic Communities Mahagathbandhan has announced an indefinite dharna at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) central office from Saturday, seeking redressal for the alleged gross injustice in internal reservation allocation in Karnataka. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, community leaders expressed deep disappointment that while Karnataka celebrates the Dasara festival, many in their community continue to live under plastic sheets, deprived of basic rights and opportunities. “We have no festival, no business during this time. Even today, most of us live on the streets. Our people have not truly gained independence,” they said.
The Karnataka government had set up a committee led by Justice Nagamohandas to implement internal reservation for the Scheduled categories. The committee recommended identifying nomads as the most backward and granting them a separate 1 percent reservation. However, community leaders allege that the government, under pressure from influential groups, placed them under the “touchable and relatively advanced” category, undermining their rights.
“The happiness of being recognized as most backward did not last long,” they said, emphasizing that their dharna aims to ensure they are not forgotten. Leaders including Manjunath Dhayatkar, Basavaraj Narayankar, Mandya Rajanna, Sandeep Kumar, Sharanappa Tummarguddi, Kariappa Gudimani, and NFIW’s Nisha Sidhu attended the press briefing.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, responding to the community, said, “It is true that you are being treated unfairly, I am with you. But my cabinet is not with me. My hands are tied. I cannot do anything, I am sorry.”
The protest marks a significant step by the nomadic community to assert their rights and seek proper reservation recognition from the government.
