Bidar: AHINDA will never be converted into a political party. It will act as a pressure group and make governments take steps for the welfare of the deprived classes, the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said.

He told presspersons here on Sunday that the object of AHINDA was clear. "We aim at creating awareness among the deprived classes, motivate them to engage in an agitation to achieve political empowerment and ensure their development."

He denied the allegations by Janata Dal (S) leaders that AHINDA was being used to glorify him. He criticised Janata Dal (S) President H.D. Deve Gowda's demand for internal reservation among backward classes as a conspiracy to pit the smaller backward caste groups against the bigger ones. Mr. Deve Gowda was not committed to their welfare. People would not believe him because he opposed reservation for the backward classes in the past. Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that Mr. Deve Gowda was against any socio-economic change that would empower the deprived classes.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said AHINDA would submit a list of demands to the Union Government and the State Government.

"Our most important demand is reservation in the judiciary. This will make the judiciary sensitive to the problems of the deprived classes. Not a single person from the Scheduled Castes has become the Chief Justice of India. Of the 50 judges in the Supreme Court only one is from the SC community," Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

Mr. Siddaramaiah demanded job reservation in the private sector.

The former Deputy Chief Minister criticised Mr. Deve Gowda's tirade against IT companies. Mr. Siddaramaiah also demanded implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report on jobs for local people.

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