Raichur bandh call seeking internal quota for SCs gets good response

The bandh called by the Internal Reservation Joint Action Committee demanding proper implementation of internal reservation for Scheduled Castes and postponement of government recruitment until its implementation received widespread support in Raichur on Wednesday.

Shops, commercial establishments, petrol bunks and business centres remained closed across the city, while bus services, autorickshaws and most private vehicles stayed off the roads. Educational and commercial activities were largely affected, though the bandh remained peaceful.

The protesters demanded that the State government determine the share of internal reservation among Scheduled Castes before proceeding with recruitment to about 56,000 government posts.

They said that the State government is delaying the implementation of internal reservation and creating unnecessary confusion on the issue.

Members of the Madiga community and various Dalit organisations participated in the protest.

The demonstrators marched towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Circle from different parts of the city, beating traditional drums and raising slogans demanding immediate implementation of internal reservation.

During the protest, a group of demonstrators burned an effigy of Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa near the RTO Circle. Police intervened when some protesters attempted to burn an effigy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The bandh disrupted transportation services, with buses of the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation remaining off the roads and autorickshaw services also largely absent.

As a result, passengers arriving from neighbouring taluks and districts faced inconvenience in reaching their destinations. However, as there were no second-year pre-university examinations scheduled on the day, students did not face major difficulties.

The protesters also organised a bike rally across the city and staged demonstrations at major junctions, expressing anger against the State government.

They demanded that the State government strictly implement internal reservation in recruitment processes and ensure justice to the Madiga community.

Leaders of the agitation submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Nitish K. at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Circle.

They said that the State government has already secured the Governor’s assent for internal reservation law and that the High Court has only restricted the total reservation from exceeding 50%, without imposing any restriction on the distribution of internal reservation.

Hence, they insisted that recruitment to government posts should be taken up only after fixing internal reservation based on population.

The protesters said that despite repeated representations, the State government has failed to take action and is proceeding with recruitment without determining internal reservation causing injustice to the community.

They also pointed out that the demand for internal reservation is more than three decades old now and accused the Congress of going back on its poll promise to implement it.

In a dramatic development during the protest at Ambedkar Circle, Dalit Sangharsh Samiti leader Bharath Kumar attempted self-immolation by pouring petrol on himself.

Alert protesters and police personnel immediately intervened, seized the petrol bottle and shifted him to a hospital.

Mr. Nitish and Superintendent of Police Arunangshu Giri visited the protest site and received the memorandum from the agitators.

Tight security arrangements were made across the city to prevent any untoward incidents.

Leaders M. Virupakshi, Ravindra Jaldar, Madiga Dandora Samiti State president Narasappa Dandora, Kirilingappa Kavital, Bhimanna Manchal and others participated in the protest along with activists of several Dalit organisations and reservation rights groups.