Banjara community continues protest at Shivamogga-Shikaripura highway over reservation

Banjara community's protest continues at Shivamogga-Shikaripura highway. (Photo: India Today)

By India Today News Desk: The members of the Banjara and Bhovi communities continued their protest on Tuesday against the internal reservation for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) announced by the state government.

Protesters blocked the Shivamogga-Shikaripura highway and raised slogans against the BJP government, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Mr. Yediyurappa for recommending internal quota for the Scheduled Castes in four separate categories.

PROTEST AGAINST INTERNAL QUOTA

Protesting against the internal reservation for the Scheduled Castes (SCs), the members of the Banjara and Bhovi communities hurled stones at the former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's office and home on Monday.

Soon, the protest turned violent and some members of the Banjara community, who are also known as Lamani or Lambani, were injured, news agency PTI reported. Meanwhile, police used batons to disperse the large number of protesters, which included women.

Also, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were imposed in Shikaripura town after protesters pelted stones, injuring police officers.

WHY IS THE BANJARA COMMUNITY PROTESTING?

The Banjara community has been a significant beneficiary of the SC reservations in the state. However, with the recent announcement by the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, the Banjara community's share of reservations is threatening to go down.

The internal reservations announced by the government as per the Sadashiva Commission report have allocated specific quotas to different sub-castes within the SC community. The protesters alleged that less reservation was given to the ‘Scheduled Caste-Touchables’, to which the Banjara community belongs.