Bengaluru, April 25: Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led state government on Saturday, accusing it of committing a 'historic betrayal' of Scheduled Castes (SCs) through its newly announced internal reservation framework. Vijayendra alleged that the Siddaramaiah government delayed implementing the Supreme Court's reservation distribution directives for nearly two-and-a-half years, only to ultimately reduce allocations within key SC categories.

BJP's Core Allegations Against the Congress Government

Vijayendra stated that the state Cabinet's decision to divide Scheduled Castes into Category A, B, and C groups in the ratio of 5.25:5.25:4.5 is deeply unjust. He pointed out that under the previous BJP government led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, SC reservation had been raised from 15 per cent to 17 per cent — a gain he claims has now been effectively reversed.

According to Vijayendra, the quota for Category A has been slashed from 6 per cent to 5.25 per cent, while Category B has been trimmed from 5.5 per cent to 5.25 per cent. He argued these reductions amount to a systematic injustice against multiple SC communities across Karnataka.

He further alleged that the earlier 4.5 per cent allocation for communities including Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha, and Korama, along with a separate 1 per cent reservation for nomadic groups, has been scrapped. These communities have now been merged into a single Category C, receiving only 4.5 per cent instead of what he termed a justified 5.5 per cent.

Affidavit Controversy and Government Vacancy Crisis

One of Vijayendra's most pointed allegations was that despite the absence of any court stay order, the Karnataka government voluntarily filed an affidavit agreeing to reduce overall SC reservation from 17 per cent back to 15 per cent — a move he described as self-inflicted damage to the SC community's rights.

The BJP State President also criticised the Congress administration's handling of government employment, noting that lakhs of government posts remain unfilled. He accused the ruling party of deliberately stalling recruitment for two-and-a-half years and now, with only about two years left in its tenure, announcing job drives as a political distraction ahead of elections.

Political Warning to Congress Leadership

Vijayendra issued a stern political warning, stating that senior Congress leaders — including party President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar — would face electoral consequences for the alleged injustice done to SC communities in Karnataka.

He called on the Congress government to mount a strong legal challenge to restore the 17 per cent SC reservation implemented under the previous BJP administration, warning that failure to do so could trigger a significant political decline for Congress across South India.

What the Karnataka Cabinet Actually Decided

The Karnataka Cabinet on Friday approved a unanimous decision on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes, dividing the quota into left communities (5.25 per cent), right communities (5.25 per cent), and other communities (4.5 per cent).

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that as per the Budget commitment, the state government would fill 56,432 government posts this year, with notifications to be issued shortly. He added that until the court delivers a final verdict, the government would adhere to the 50 per cent reservation cap, while remaining committed to implementing 56 per cent reservation in the future.

Deeper Context: Why This Battle Matters Beyond Politics

This controversy sits at the intersection of caste politics, judicial mandates, and electoral arithmetic in Karnataka. The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling permitting sub-classification within SC/ST reservations opened a politically volatile door across Indian states, and Karnataka is among the first to act on it — making its choices a national template.

Notably, the Banjara, Bhovi, and nomadic communities have historically been among the most politically mobilised SC sub-groups in northern Karnataka, making any perceived reduction in their quota a potential flashpoint ahead of local body elections and the 2028 state assembly polls.

Critics also point to a broader irony: the Congress, which has built its national narrative around social justice and SC/OBC welfare under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge — himself a Dalit leader — now faces accusations of diluting SC protections in its own-governed state. Whether the government's legal strategy on the 17 per cent reservation holds up in court will be the defining test of its stated commitment.

With recruitment notifications expected imminently and court proceedings on reservation caps ongoing, the political and legal battle over Karnataka's SC reservation framework is set to intensify significantly in the coming weeks.