Belagavi (Karnataka), December 12 (NationPress) - Leading the protests advocating for reservation for the Panchamasali Lingayat sect under the 2A Category, Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, asserting that he is anti-Lingayat.

Addressing the media in Belagavi during a demonstration condemning the police response to the community's members who attempted to blockade the Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday, the seer declared, "I want to emphasize that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is anti-Lingayat."

The community has expressed anger over the police's lathi-charge following the escalation of the protests by the Panchmasali Lingayat community, which turned violent as a crowd hurled stones at law enforcement and tried to obstruct the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

The police intervened to halt thousands of demonstrators en route to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, cautioning them against proceeding further.

In response to the police's actions, the protestors allegedly retaliated by throwing stones and footwear, leading to the authorities executing a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.

Swami Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya cautioned, "I am striving to remain calm. We will engage in a non-violent struggle. You have tried to incite violence against the peaceful Panchamasalis."

"When one of our community's MLAs approached CM Siddaramaiah to request the withdrawal of the lathi-charge orders against the demonstrators, CM Siddaramaiah responded, 'How dare the community insult and oppose my government? Let them face consequences,'" the seer recounted.

"I initially believed CM Siddaramaiah was absent from Belagavi that day as he was in Bengaluru paying respects to former CM S.M. Krishna. However, he was indeed in Belagavi. We have never encountered such an inhumane CM in the state's history, and we will denounce this," the seer asserted.

"The FIRs against the demonstrators must be revoked, and the Chief Minister should suspend the police officers who mistreated them. I urge my people to remain calm. If I issue a single call, between 25 to 50 lakh members of the Panchamasali Lingayats are prepared to blockade the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi," the seer warned.

Meanwhile, BJP members brought the issue to the forefront in the Legislative Assembly during the Question Hour.

Led by the Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, BJP MLAs condemned the police's lathi-charge and demanded accountability for the officers responsible for issuing the orders.

Conversely, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, who belongs to the Panchamasali Lingayat sect, claimed that the protests were supported by the RSS.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the one who instructed the installation of Basavanna's portraits, the founder of the Lingayat sect, in all government offices. CM Siddaramaiah took his oath during Basava Jayanti, and he can never be anti-Lingayat," Kashappanavar stated.

Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda asserted that it was the BJP that provided an undertaking in the Supreme Court regarding the non-implementation of reservations for the Lingayats and Vokkaligas.

The BJP MLAs grew agitated following these remarks and began moving towards the Well of the House, prompting Speaker U.T. Khader to adjourn the session.

The Panchamasali community has been advocating for inclusion under the 2A category, which would enable them to qualify as a backward community eligible for the 15% reservation in various sectors. Currently, they are classified under the 3B category, receiving a mere 5% reservation in government employment and educational institutions.

The Panchamasali sect is one of the prominent factions within the Lingayat community, primarily located in the North Karnataka area and predominantly involved in agriculture.

This situation has escalated significantly, with the BJP pledging full support for the Panchamasali Lingayat sect's agitation and demands, given that the Lingayats constitute a core support base for the BJP in Karnataka.