Bangalore: The State Government, after vacillating for almost a year, plans to soon issue an order to provide for internal reservation within the existing reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy told The Hindu on Thursday that the matter would come up before the Cabinet shortly.

Minister for Home M.P. Prakash, who headed the Cabinet subcommittee on reservation for OBCs, in 1994-95 when the Government was headed by H.D. Deve Gowda, has been asked to oversee the preparation of a detailed report on the introduction of internal reservation.

The Government Order providing 32 per cent reservation for OBCs and others (Vokkaligas, Marathas, Veerashaivas, Christians, etc.) based on their economic status in education and employment was passed when Mr. Gowda was the Chief Minister. The move was initiated earlier when M. Veerappa Moily was the Chief Minister.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has agreed to the Janata Dal (S) demand for internal reservation.

The demand for internal reservation for OBCs made by Mr. Gowda stirred a hornet's nest with a section of political leaders favouring it and another strongly opposing any change.

Sources in the Government said several departments had been asked to collate information on the population of the various backward classes and the benefits that have accrued to them over the past 15 years.

Mr. Gowda said he would not dilute his stand in order to uphold the interests of those backward classes that had not benefited much from the reservation provided for them.

According to him, some of the dominant backward classes, mainly the Kurubas and the Idigas, have cornered most of the reservations.

Statistics made available so far suggest that the Kurubas and the Idigas have obtained the maximum benefit from reservation relegating others such as Nayakas, Agasas, Vishwakarmas and Gollas to the background.

Mr. Gowda has not demanded that the Kurubas and the Idigas should be deleted from the list of OBCs. Of the 15 per cent reservation set apart for Category 2 (A), his demand is that the quota for Kurubas and Idigas should be limited to four per cent while the others should get proportionate reservation based on their population and educational and social status.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail