Caste jugglery: Beyond Muslim quota too, Basavaraj Bommai govt enters where others feared to tread

On Monday, protests by Banjaras (Lambanis) — a Scheduled Caste sub-group in Karnataka – in Shivamogga district saw stones being pelted at the home of former CM and BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa.

The Banjaras, who are considered tribals in some parts of the country, believe that the March 24 decision of the Bommai government reduces the quota available to them in government jobs and educational institutions.

The Bommai government rejected a 2012 report by the Justice A J Sadashiva commission on internal reservations for Dalit groups in pushing through the modifications. Dalit groups are now eligible for total 17 per cent quota in education and government jobs, on the basis of Constitutional guarantees and the strength of their population.

The commission had recommended that 6 per cent of the then total 15 per cent reservation for SCs be set aside for the most backward of Dalit communities, known as the ‘SC Left’ group; 5 per cent for the less backward ‘SC Right’ communities; 3 per cent for what were called ‘touchable’ SC communities like Banjaras (Lambanis), Bhovis; and 1 per cent for dozens of other small SC communities.

In the 11 years since the commission submitted its report, successive state governments steered clear of touching the quota system for fear of an electoral blowback.

For example, the 2013-2018 period, when the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah faced pressure from some of the most backward Dalit communities to implement the commission report, which argued that most of the SC quota was grabbed by the less backward SC communities. Siddaramaiah promised to implement the report’s recommendations, but backtracked after he was warned it would stir agitations.

The BJP is believed to have the support of a large section of the most backward SC communities, like the Madigas, and the Sadashiva report had in fact been presented to a government led by the party. During the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP as well as the JD(S) promised to implement the report, with senior BJP leader B L Santhosh saying the party will “ensure, fruits from the government reach every Dalit in the state”.

However, since it toppled the JD(S)-Congress government and took over in 2019, the current BJP government too stayed away from it – till now, when it is facing a tough election.

The March 24 decision of the Bommai government rejected the Sadashiva Commission’s recommendations, for a “modified” version. Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said: “We decided to divide the numbers and increase the quota for Lambanis, Bhovis, Korachas, and Kormas, from 3 per cent to 4.5 per cent… For other groups, it is the same, with the less backward SC groups getting an increase of 0.5 per cent.”

So while the Sadashiva commission recommended 6 per cent quota for the most backward SCs, 5 per cent for the less backward, 3 per cent for the Lambani, Bhovis, Korachas, Kormas, and 1 per cent for others, the BJP government – having increased the overall quota for SCs from 15 to 17 per cent – split it as 6 per cent, 5.5 per cent, 4.5 per cent, and 1 per cent, respectively.

Justifying the move, CM Bommai said: “There are nearly 101 groups among the SCs. There are a lot of differences in social and educational backwardness among them.”

In the internal reservation structure devised by the Bommai government for SCs, there are four communities in category 1 of the most backward (with the Madigas the largest), five in category 2 comprising the less backward (with the Holeyas as a key group), ‘touchable’ communities of new castes in the SC list such as Lambani, Bhovi, Koracha, Korma in category 3, and the remaining smaller communities with minuscule numbers in category 4.

While the most backward Dalits are considered supporters of the BJP, the less backward SCs are seen as allied with the Congress (with several Congress leaders, like national party president Mallikarjun Kharge belonging to this group). The category 3 groups such as Lambanis, Bhovis, the most mobile among the SCs, tend to be divided in their political loyalties.

It is ironic that it is the Banjaras, part of the group for which a 4.5 per cent quota has been set aside in the new system, who have been the first to hit the streets. The leaders of the most backward SC groups in Shivamogga region – that saw protests Monday – say this is because the Banjaras were earlier able to corner a large chunk of the Dalit quota due to their enterprising nature, and now fear their share will be restricted to only 4.5 per cent of the total.

The protesting Banjara members submitted a memorandum to officials in Shivamogga seeking a rollback of the new quota regime.

While there was speculation of a conspiracy in the attack on Yediyurappa’s home during the protests – with the former CM distancing himself from the party — Bommai alleged a Congress hand.

The newest quota changes follow several decisions by the BJP government over the past year – such as increasing the share of the Lingayats from 5 per cent to 7; for Vokkaligas from 4 per cent to 6; and Scheduled Tribes from 3 per cent to 7; apart from the increase in SC quota from 15 per cent to 17.

The BJP appears to believe it is hence insured even if there are protests by a sub-group among the Dalits.

Some believe the attack on Lingayat leader Yediyurappa’s home may serve as a tonic to motivate the community to rise up in support of the BJP, with the veteran their tallest leader.

Congress spokesperson Ramesh Babu said the BJP hoped to beat anti-incumbency by such measures. “The BJP is known to resort to all sorts of jugglery when it is faced with the prospect of a defeat in elections. It did so in Gujarat and in Uttar Pradesh with success,” he said.

Sharda Pooryanaik, a Banjara leader and former JD(S) MLA from Shivamogga Rural (SC) seat, told the media: “The government should have held consultations with various caste groups before bringing the changes. Everybody agreed that the Sadashiva commission recommendations must be examined again since these are unscientific. There have been demands for a proper caste census to arrive at the quota requirements.”

Incidentally, in the past, efforts by Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh to categorise internal reservations within the Dalit quota have failed to get sanction from the Supreme Court. So, for any such move in Karnataka to go through, a Constitutional amendment might be needed, with the BJP government at the Centre well-placed to do so.