Mysuru: Asserting that the Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission has collected empirical data exhaustively, Senior city-based Advocate M. Arun Kumar, who is also a Madiga community leader, has urged the Government to introduce inner reservation among SC Communities.

Addressing a clarion call gathering of Madiga community members organised at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Sunday, Arun Kumar alleged that the inner reservation issue is being used as a political ploy to deprive the Madiga community of inner reservation. Asserting that the Governments can introduce inner reservation among SC Communities following the Aug. 1, 2024 Supreme Court order, Arun Kumar said that the Supreme Court in its ruling said that inner reservation can be provided using the empirical data. As such, the States which have such empirical data, can immediately introduce inner reservation and Karnataka is among the top States which has empirical data in hand.”

The Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission, which was formed in 2005 when Dharam Singh was the CM, gave its report after 7 years in 2012 when D.V. Sadananda Gowda of BJP was the CM. Previous BJP Govt. increased SC reservation from 15% to 17%, following which the then Government sent it to the Centre for approval. The BJP Government had recommended to the Centre because                                 there was no Supreme Court order then,” he argued.

Pointing out that Congress in its election manifesto in the run up to 2023 Assembly polls, had said that it was not opposed to Sadashiva Commission Report, he said that the report is based on empirical data and as such, the Government should introduce inner reservation.

Taking strong exception to the anti-inner reservation lobby’s argument that Sadashiva Commission Report is a closed chapter, he maintained that the Congress Government too is not interested in inner-reservation going by its stance. Arguing that they have not sided with any political party, Arun Kumar said that the Madiga community would take Congress leaders in a procession if the recommendations of A.J. Sadashiva Commission and J.C. Madhuswamy Committee are implemented.

Later, Arun Kumar, along with other Madiga community leaders, Bhaskar Prasad, Pavagada Sririam and others, presented a memorandum to CM Siddaramaiah seeking introduction of inner reservation among                                      SC communities.