K Shiva Kumar By

Express News Service

BELAGAVI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that his government would take all initiatives to increase reservation for SC/STs and other backward classes from 50 to 70 per cent. Caste census of Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes will be tabled in two months, he said.



Replying to the calling attention moved by Congress member V S Ugrappa in Council on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah hit out at K S Eshwarappa, stating BJP lacked faith in social justice. “My government is committed to enhance the reservation based on population,” the CM said.



Siddaramaiah said on the lines of Tamil Nadu model, the state government will seek legal opinion and bring necessary amendments to increase reservation for SC/STs and OBCs based on population. He sought opposition parties’ co-operation for the same. “Tamil Nadu already has 69 per cent reservation,” he said.

Sparks fly over reservation issue



Sparks flew between Siddaramaiah and Eshwarappa in during the debate. The CM targeted Eshwarappa, BJP backward cell and MLC Puttaswamy. He said it was he, who had announced caste-based census in 2004. “I was expelled from Janata Dal in 2005 and the census could not take shape,” he said.



Siddaramaiah said that the government brought the Karnataka Scheduled castes sub-plan and tribal sub-plan (Planning, Allocation and utilization of Financial Resources Act) Act, 2013 which has increased funds to these communities.

Earlier, moving calling attention in Legislative Council, Ugrappa said that reservation is not alms.

The BJP members protested when Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya said that they would seek legal and constitutional experts’ help to increase reservation for SC/STs and OBCs from 50 to 70 per cent.