Mysore/Mysuru: Braving incessant rains that has continued to lash the city since morning, hundreds of SC/ST community members, under the banner of Karnataka Swaabhimani SC/ST Sanghatanegala Okkoota Mattu Meesalaati Hechhala Horata Kriyasamiti (Reservation Hike Action Committee), took out a massive rally in the city this morning.

The protesters, who converged on Town Hall, after garlanding the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, marched in a rally to the DC’s office passing through Gandhi Square, Big Click Tower, Dufferin Clock Tower (Chikkagadiyara), D. Devaraj Urs Road, JLB Road and Vinoba Road, where they presented their 25-point charter of demands.

The demands include implementation of the recommendations of Justice H.N. Nagmohandas Committee, which had advocated hiking reservation in jobs and education for SC communities to 17 percent and 7.5 percent for ST communities, reservation in private sector, filling up of backlog vacancies in all Government Departments, promotion to SC/ST employees as per a 1995 Supreme Court ruling, enhancement of annual income limit for SC/ST communities for seeking reservation, to Rs. 10 lakh, issuance of tilling rights to SC/ST farmers who are cultivating Bagar Hukum lands for the past 40-50 years, abolition of contract and outsourcing systems in recruitment, regularisation of service of Pourakarmikas and Village Assistants and a monthly stipend of Rs. 10,000 to all unemployed educated youths from SC/ST communities, among others.

Urilinga Peddimutt Seer Sri Jnanaprakash Swamiji, H.D. Kote MLA Anil Chikkamadu, BSP leader and former Mayor Purushottam, community leaders Mavalli Shankar, Dyavappa Nayaka, Prabhakar, Basavaraju, Manjunath, Tumbala Ramanna, Kencha Nayaka, H.R. Prakash, Chennanayaka, Sridhar and others took part in the rally.