Internal quota: panel proposes 6% for Dalit left, 5% for Dalit right

The one-man commission headed by H.N. Nagamohan Das, which submitted its report on internal reservation for 101 Scheduled Castes in Karnataka to the government on Monday, is learnt to have created a separate group for Adi Karnataka (AK), Adi Dravida (AD) and Adi Andhra (AA), providing 1% reservation within the 17% reservation for SCs for the three.

The colonial era nomenclature coined to bring depressed sections within the SC community had been a major cause of confusion in slicing up the reservation matrix since members from both Dalit left (Madigas) and Dalit right (Holeyas) grouping have certificates under these names.

How it is sliced up

While the commission is learnt to have provided 6% reservation for the Dalit left, it is learnt to have given the Dalit right 5%. The Lambani, Korama, Koracha and Bhovi have been given 4% and the more than 40 nomadic tribes classified as micro communities due to their population size have been given 1%, it is learnt. There are over 50 very backward micro communities whose population is less than 10,000.

Sources said that though one of the focus of the internal reservation was to remove the confusion over AD, AK and AA, several lakhs have continued with these nomenclatures. The micro communities are learnt to have been given a higher weightage that will help them in public employment over others.

“Castes that are equal in social and educational backwardness, and scored poor in adequate representation have been brought together. This, along with population size, has been the basis for allocating reservation matrix,” sources said.

Demand for study

Meanwhile, Dalit right group and touchable communities of Lambani, Koracha, Korama and Bhovi are likely to seek for the report to be studied by a Cabinet sub-committee. Multiple sources said that though the report is not formally released, based on informal communications, these communities are unhappy with slicing up of the matrix.

However, the Dalit left groups that have been fighting for internal reservation for over three decades now have not only welcomed the submission of the report, but have also sought its early implementation.

“The government should place the report before the legislature after discussion in Cabinet and implement the reservation without any delay. We will not withdraw the indefinite protest that we are launching in Bengaluru from August 11 till the order is issued,” said Basavaraj Kowthal, convener of prctest Committee for social justice through internal reservation for scheduled castes.