• A politician who buys helicopter at Rs.10 crore seeks reservation
• State Govt. can only make recommendation; Centre takes a final call

Mysore/Mysuru: Taking a dig at BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who are in the forefront of Kuruba community agitation demanding reservation for them, former Union  Minister and present Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad urged the State Government to clarify on reservation and not to heed to such request at any cost.

“Who are Vishwanath and Eshwarappa? Is it possible to give reservation just because they demand in some platforms? Doesn’t he (Vishwanath) know that major issues like reservation cannot be discussed on streets?  The State Government owes an explanation in this regard,” he said.

“Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa must clarify on quota demand by the Kurubas. The Government must clarify on its limitations and clear the air. It is high time to put full stop to ongoing agitations seeking reservation,” Prasad, told reporters at his Jayalakshmipuram residence here on Tuesday.

He said, he has been in politics for a long time and it was not right on the part of anyone to talk about reservation on streets. They should feel ashamed to demand reservation from any public fora.  Reservation comes under the purview of Union Government and it will decide whether they (Kurubas) should be given reservation under Scheduled Tribe category. Role of State Government was limited to make recommendation and appoint technical committee to take it further. This had been done only by Prof. L.G. Havanur who fought a legal battle for the inclusion of Nayaka community to the STs, he said.

Prasad wondered how a person who buys a helicopter worth Rs. 10 crore can demand reservation. Should a community belonging to the CM be given reservation? 

“There is meaning if people without proper clothes to wear want reservation. Can big businessmen, former Deputy Chief Ministers and realtors be given quota? The BJP MLC and Minister M.T.B. Nagaraj buys a helicopter worth Rs. 10 crore and these kind of persons are asking for reservation. Some are demanding inclusion of Kuruba community in 2A category and what will happen to those who are already in this category? Which community are you going to include and whom are you going to delete? The Supreme Court has strictly said that reservation must not cross 50 percent and in the wake of this, no reservation demanding agitations should be encouraged, he observed.