Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Indian National Congress (Congress) Working Committee member Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, 25 August reaffirmed his commitment to internal reservation and social justice, stating he would continue the fight regardless of whether he held political office. Speaking at a seminar in Bengaluru organised by the Internal Reservation Struggle Committee for Social Justice, Siddaramaiah delivered one of his most pointed addresses on caste-based equity since leaving the chief ministership.

Siddaramaiah's Core Stand on Internal Reservation

Siddaramaiah was unequivocal about his personal position. 'I am no longer the head of the government and I do not have power. But I am a person who supports internal reservation, the reservation system and social justice. I have never compromised on this issue and I will not compromise in the future,' he said.

He argued that reservation was not a concession but a corrective — necessary for communities that had historically been denied opportunities due to the caste system. 'We are not fools; we are people who were denied opportunities. We did not get an opportunity to demonstrate our intelligence. The reservation system is providing that opportunity,' he said.

Ambedkar, Basavanna and the Philosophical Anchor

Siddaramaiah grounded his argument in the thought of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, noting that while political equality had been achieved through universal franchise, social and economic equality remained elusive. He cited Ambedkar's warning that unaddressed social and economic inequalities could ultimately erode the foundations of democracy itself.

He also invoked Basavanna, the 12th-century social reformer, who had called for a society where no one was treated as an outsider. 'Basavanna said this nearly 850 years ago, but even today it has not become a reality. This is the true picture of our society,' Siddaramaiah said. He compared the persistence of the caste system to dirt that repeatedly accumulates in a well despite repeated clearing — a metaphor drawn from his own childhood in his village.

Referring to socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, he argued that the Indian caste system offered little social mobility, and that economic, social, educational and political empowerment of marginalised communities was the only path forward.

Karnataka's Internal Reservation: A Complicated History

Siddaramaiah detailed the legislative and legal journey of internal reservation in Karnataka. During his tenure as Chief Minister, his government constituted the Nagamohan Das Committee to examine the issue. The committee submitted its report after visiting villages and consulting communities, on the basis of which communities were divided into five groups for internal reservation distribution.

The classification was later revised into three groups under a 6:6:5 formula. However, the inclusion of nomadic communities alongside the Bhovi and Banjara communities triggered objections and legal challenges in the High Court. A subsequent interim arrangement proposed a 15 per cent allocation with Cabinet agreeing to a 5:5:4.5 distribution, but differences and litigation continued.

'Whatever the difficulties, internal reservation must be implemented,' Siddaramaiah said, adding that he would speak to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the relevant ministers to resolve outstanding issues. 'The Chief Minister has said that he will listen to what I say. I have confidence that they will listen to me,' he said.

Welfare Allocations and Legislative Milestones

Siddaramaiah highlighted that his government had enacted the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) legislation in 2013, linking development expenditure to the population share of SC and ST communities. Welfare allocations, which stood at around ₹8,000 crore before 2013, rose to over ₹15,000 crore after the legislation — and have since reached ₹44,636 crore, according to his statement.

He also noted his government's decision to scrap Section 7D of the legislation and extend loans of up to ₹10 crore through the Karnataka State Financial Corporation at an interest rate of four per cent. Reservation in promotions, introduced after a report by a committee headed by then Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha, was challenged in court but upheld, he claimed.

Political Critique and the Road Ahead

Siddaramaiah took direct aim at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not undertaken comparable measures for social justice. He alleged that organisations representing what he called a 'Manuvadi' ideology had historically opposed the Constitution at the time of its adoption.

He urged activists to remain united and alert to forces attempting to create divisions within the movement. 'The struggle for internal reservation has been going on for three decades. After the Supreme Court's decision, the movement gained momentum across the country,' he said, cautioning that personal differences could weaken the cause.

Siddaramaiah also indicated he would remain politically active even after retiring from electoral politics, saying he would continue to fight for social justice in whatever capacity he held. With the Karnataka Cabinet yet to finalise the internal reservation framework, the coming weeks will test how much political weight his advocacy still carries.