Banjara community to organise protest opposing Nagamohan Das report on internal quota in Karnataka

Opposing implementation of internal reservation among Scheduled Castes, Banjara community leaders want the government of Karnataka to increase reservation allotted to Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha and Korama communities from 5% to 6%, and also to increase internal reservation among Scheduled Castes to 18%.

Members of the Banjara community from Kalaburagi district would organise a protest march from Jagat Circle to Deputy Commissioners’ office in Kalaburagi on September 8, opposing the State Government’s move to implement the Nagamohan Das report on internal reservation among Scheduled Castes.

Former MP Umesh Jadhav and former minister Baburao Chavan, both belonging to Banjara community, addressed presspersons in Kalaburagi on September 4. They termed the Nagamohan Das report as inaccurate. They claimed that population of Banjara, Bhovi, Korama, Koracha communities and nomadic tribes is around 1.08 crore in Karnataka, which is 18% of the total population. They demanded reservation in proportion to the population of the communities.

Dr. Jadhav said that in the government’s decision on internal reservation among Scheduled Castes to allocate 6% each to the right communities and left communities, while only 5% designated for the remaining 59 castes is not acceptable.

Accusing Congress leaders of neglecting Banjara MLAs , Mr. Chavan alleged that Banjara leaders were deliberately not included in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet.