Bengaluru, Feb 27 (NationPress) In a scathing critique of the state administration, former Union Minister and prominent BJP figure A. Narayanaswamy stated on Friday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has betrayed the Madiga community, which has fought for internal reservation for 35 years.

Narayanaswamy claimed that not just the Madiga community, but Dalits throughout the state have been misled, accusing the government of deceiving 101 castes regarding the internal reservation issue.

He further asserted that the youth seeking jobs have been misled by the state government.

Referencing Tamil Nadu's implementation of 69 percent reservation under Article 9, he emphasized the state's support for marginalized communities.

Narayanaswamy criticized the Karnataka Congress-led government for showing neither interest nor intent in effectively advocating for internal reservation in the High Court and Supreme Court.

He raised concerns about the expenditure of public funds on surveys and commission reports, questioning whose interests such political actions serve.

Criticizing the government's inaction a year after the Supreme Court ruling, he noted that the reports from Justice Sadashiva, Madhuswamy, and Justice Nagamohan Das had been dismissed, fostering confusion around internal reservation. Despite a bill being passed in the Assembly and sent to the Governor, the matter remains unresolved.

He demanded that the Chief Minister, Dalit ministers, and the 54 MLAs from Scheduled Caste reserved constituencies resign if they genuinely care about the welfare of Dalits.

While there are 54 MLAs from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, he pointed out that despite advancements in education, these legislators have remained silent.

He questioned why Dalit ministers are not vocal in cabinet meetings and why they continue to occupy ministerial roles if they are unwilling to advocate for their communities.

He announced plans for protests and urged the Chief Minister to step down.

Highlighting that approximately 2.8 lakh government positions are vacant in the state, he claimed the government, in its recent cabinet meeting, decided to revert to the previous reservation system to mislead Dalits and the protesting youth.

Narayanaswamy stated that if the government was genuinely committed to social justice, it could legally exceed the 50 percent reservation cap, as indicated in the Indra Sawhney case.

He provided examples from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which have implemented reservation levels of 58 percent and 57 percent respectively, and criticized the Karnataka government for failing to present strong arguments in court.

He underscored that the Madiga community and its sub-castes, among the most oppressed for decades, have been advocating for internal reservation, recalling that the Congress had pledged to implement it if elected.

Narayanaswamy accused the Chief Minister of misleading the populace by portraying himself as a champion of social justice.

He also pointed to the Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench judgment from August 1, 2024, which enables governments to provide internal reservation and special measures for socially and economically disadvantaged groups, aligning with the Constitution established by B.R. Ambedkar.