Under pressure from the Dalit Left, recruitment GO likely to come up for discussion again in Karnataka Cabinet

Under pressure from Dalit Left community leaders, who have criticised a Government Order that has not provided for internal reservation for the recruitment of 56,432 posts, the State government is likely to discuss the reservation issue again during the next Cabinet meeting. The issue seems to have driven a wedge among the Dalit communities in the State.

On Tuesday, a Dalit Left community delegation, including Cabinet Ministers K.H. Muniyappa and R.B. Thimmapur, met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and is learnt to have exerted pressure for the withdrawal of the notification. It has also sought replacement of Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, accusing him of being “biased” against the internal reservation.

Later in the evening, the two Ministers told prespersons that the matter would be discussed during the next Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Disappointed, say Ministers

Sources said that the two Ministers expressed their disappointment and disapproval of the GO that has asked recruitment authorities/department to stick to the reservation quota that existed before December 2022, which effectively means sticking to the 50% cap and without internal reservation. Sources said that the two Ministers told the Chief Minister that they were kept in the dark and were not told about internal reservation not being part of the GO. Among others present in the delegation were former MLC and KPCC SC cell head Dharmasena, former Minister Anjaneya, and former MP L. Hanumanthaiah.

The Dalit Left community has been upset over the State government’s plan to recruit 56,432 posts, one of the biggest recruitment drives in recent decades, without implementing the internal reservation. This comes amid the Karnataka Sub classification Bill that seeks to provide internal reservation in 17% quota getting Governor’s assent. The community estimates that SCs and STs will lose 1,129 posts and 2,258 posts, respectively, as per the GO.

Resignation sought

In another development on Tuesday, a number of Dalit Left community organisations that met here decided to seek the resignation of Dr. Mahadevappa, and immediate withdrawal of the GO. A note issued after the meeting said that the government should reconsider recommendations of either the A.J. Sadashiva Commission or the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission to ascertain backwardness. They also discussed the future action to exert pressure on the government not to hold recruitment without internal reservation.