Mysuru:  The Kuruba community, one of the major communities of the State, has demanded that the community be brought under ST (Scheduled Tribe) category.

Addressing a meeting of the community at Kanaka Bhavan in Siddarthanagar here on Friday, Karnataka Pradesha Kurubara Sangha President B. Subramanya said that the community will stage a massive demonstration on Dec.27 in front of the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi, where the winter session of the State Legislature is going on.

Urging the Government to bring the community, which is currently under 2a reservation  category, under ST list, Subramanya wanted the Government to recommend the Union Government on inclusion of Kuruba community in ST list.

Pointing out that the community will hold a massive demonstration at Kondasakuppa (a) near Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi at 11 am on Dec.27, he said that the community Seers have already taken out a padayatra seeking ST tag for Kurubas.

Noting that despite several representations and protests, the Government has turned a deaf ear to the community’s demand, he said that the demonstration was an apolitical one and community leaders in all political parties have extended support for the cause. Maintaining that more than three lakh community members will take part in the rally, Subramanya said 25,000 of them would be from Mysuru-Chamarajanagar districts. After the rally, a memorandum will be submitted to the Chief Minister, he said adding that the community will intensify its agitation if the Government does not consider the demand.

Sangha office-bearers J. Gopi, Abhilash, Shivappa Kote, Basavaraju, Kempanna, Shivanna, Kunnegowda, Mahesh, B.M. Anand, Ganesh, Hinkal Uday, former Mayor T.B. Chikkanna and a host of other community leaders were present at the press meet.