Bengaluru, March 13 (NationPress) The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a warning regarding a planned statewide protest if the state government does not enforce internal reservations for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, following the recommendations of the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee and the Supreme Court's directives.

At a press conference held in Bengaluru, former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai asserted that a special Cabinet meeting is unnecessary to implement this reservation.

"If Chief Minister Siddaramaiah genuinely cares about this matter, the Karnataka government should act swiftly to enforce internal reservations as advised by the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee and as per the Supreme Court's guidance," Bommai emphasized.

He accused the state government of being persistently unfair to the SC and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, failing to take a decisive stance on their issues.

"During Siddaramaiah's previous term as Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018, there were strong calls for internal reservations and increased quotas for SC and ST communities. Numerous seers and leaders from backward communities even undertook padayatras to advocate for these demands," Bommai noted.

He criticized Siddaramaiah's assertion of representing the AHINDA (minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) communities, claiming that aside from Muslims, no significant transformative initiatives had been introduced for the other AHINDA groups.

The BJP leader questioned the government's alleged misallocation of funds designated for SC and ST communities, claiming that nearly Rs 60,000 crore intended for these groups had been diverted to other uses.

Bommai also asserted that Rs 441 crore allocated for OBC welfare in the state budget was misappropriated to fund the caste census, which should have been financed by taxpayers.

He mentioned that SC and ST legislators involved in state boards and corporations had reported that funds for the Ganga Kalyana scheme had not been disbursed.

Bommai accused the state government of lacking clarity and commitment regarding internal reservations.

Referring to the principles of B.R. Ambedkar, he pointed out that reservations for SC and ST communities were intended to mirror their population share.

"While the previous BJP government in Karnataka accepted and implemented the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee recommendations through legislation, the current Congress-led government has failed to act despite receiving the report again," he alleged.

Bommai highlighted that the Supreme Court has clarified that internal reservations can be implemented without necessitating a constitutional amendment.

"If a law already exists, why is a special Cabinet meeting necessary?" he questioned.

He suggested that disagreements within the Cabinet were causing delays in the decision-making process, with one faction advocating for internal reservations while another opposed it.

According to Bommai, the Chief Minister had succumbed to pressure from ministers against the initiative.

He also criticized the government's initiative to fill 56,000 posts without clear guidelines on reservations.

"Currently, there is already a 56 percent reservation in the education sector, and if enforced properly, the Supreme Court may intervene," Bommai warned.

The BJP leader urged the state government to immediately implement internal reservations in line with the Supreme Court's directives and the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee report.

He expressed concern for nomadic communities, stating that many live in dire conditions without adequate housing and often in forest areas, remaining overlooked due to their lack of organized representation.

Issuing a warning of escalated protests, Bommai stated that demonstrations would occur in every district if the government does not take action.

"An initial protest has already occurred, and it will now expand statewide," he cautioned.

When questioned about placing increased reservations in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, Bommai remarked that it no longer provides the same level of protection as before, as such provisions are still subject to legal challenges.

He noted that even the reservation system in Tamil Nadu has faced judicial scrutiny.

"While there is no confusion regarding internal reservations in Telangana, the Karnataka government simply lacks the will to implement it," he claimed.

BJP MP Govind Karjol, former Ministers B. Sriramulu, Raju Gowda, Shivanagouda Nayak, and State BJP ST Morcha President Bangaru Hanumanthu were also present at the press conference.