Will urge Centre to increase reservation as per population: Chief Minister

Reiterating that the state government is in favor of social justice, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government will urge the Union government to increase the reservation percentage for Scheduled Castes and Tribes based on their population.

He was addressing a large gathering after inaugurating ‘Sri Maharshi Valmiki Jatre-2026’ at Sri Maharshi Valmiki Valmiki Guru Peetha at Rajanahalli near Harihar on Monday.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the oppressed communities, including the Valmiki community, should remember their own history. “Knowing history is important because it is not possible to build the future without knowing history. Only education, organization and agitation can protect the rights of the oppressed. Societies can only stay away from superstitions and blind beliefs through education.”

Mr Siddaramaiah said it was education that helped Maharshi Valmiki become a writer Ramayana. “Vyasa Muni wrote: Mahabharata belonged to the fishing community. The four-varna system deprived the oppressed of education. Equality of opportunity was achieved only after the Constitution came into force. “Education helps the oppressed to become mainstream, so the government gives importance to education that will empower the oppressed economically, socially and educationally,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that the caste system created by vested interests leads to inequalities in society. He said inequalities can only be eliminated through economic and social empowerment.

Basavanna had tried vigorously to alleviate the caste system. However, due to interests, the caste system continued and superstitions became widespread.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the scheme to provide welfare grants to SC/STs based on their population was first introduced by the State government in 2013 and none of the BJP-ruled states had such a law and it was upheld by the Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister then listed the various welfare programs and measures taken by the state government for the benefit of the oppressed communities. He also promised to gradually meet the communities’ demands.

Prasannanand Puri Swami, Vachananand Swami, Ministers Satish Jarkiholi, HC Mahadevappa, legislators Yathindra Siddaramaiah, NY Gopalkrishna, Raghu Murthy and others attended the event.