Internal reservation protest ends: Agitators give 1 week deadline to K’taka govt (Ld)
Bengaluru Protest: Agitators Demand Justice on SC Internal Reservation, Give Congress Govt One-Week Deadline
In a dramatic showdown in Bengaluru, thousands of protesters from Scheduled Caste communities wrapped up their intense rally on Tuesday, giving the Congress-led Karnataka government just one week to fix the internal reservation quota for groups like Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha, and Korava. BJP leader K. Rajiv stepped in to calm the crowds and announced the deadline, convincing them to pause the agitation for now.
The "Bengaluru Chalo" protest kicked off at Freedom Park this morning, targeting the Congress government’s handling of Scheduled Caste (SC) reservations. Protesters slammed the "unscientific" classification that they say ignores the needs of nomadic and marginalized communities. They smashed through barricades, flooded the streets, and blocked a key arterial road in the Central District, sparking massive traffic chaos from Anand Rao Circle to K.R. Circle.
Commuters heading home after work got trapped in the gridlock for hours, with even ambulances stuck in the mess. Police faced a tough time controlling the surging crowd, readying water cannons as a backup and ramping up security around Vidhana Soudha. The agitators flat-out refused to talk to lower-level officials, demanding Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa show up personally to hear their side and accept their memorandum.
Things heated up when protesters warned they’d march straight to Vidhana Soudha if the CM didn’t appear. "We won’t settle for anyone less," they shouted at the police, highlighting years of what they call unfair treatment in SC internal reservation policies.
BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra addressed the gathering earlier, firing sharp criticism at the Congress regime. "Siddaramaiah, it’s not about how long you’ve been CM—it’s about delivering justice to every community," he said. Vijayendra accused the government of betraying the people who voted them in, especially oppressed groups like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and nomadic communities.
He pointed out that under the previous BJP government, leaders like B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai had stepped up for these groups. Back then, they allocated 4.5% reservation for Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha, and Korava communities, plus a separate 1% for nomadic groups. Yediyurappa even set up the Tanda Development Corporation and Bhovi Development Corporation to support them, ensuring no one faced injustice.
But Vijayendra didn’t hold back on the current setup. "The Congress is recycling old British-era exploitative policies, sowing division in society," he charged. "Even God won’t forgive Siddaramaiah for letting down the Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha, Korava, and nomadic communities." He urged the CM to join such events personally and prioritize fair SC internal reservation over everything else.
The protest drew huge crowds from these very communities, all united in their call for equitable quotas within the 15% SC reservation pie. With the one-week ultimatum now ticking, eyes are on the Karnataka government to respond—will they rework the internal reservation formula to include these overlooked groups, or risk more street unrest in Bengaluru? Stay tuned for updates on this Karnataka reservation row.
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