Dalit-Right groups have argued that the panel’s report on internal reservation was unscientific and that its findings should be reviewed by an expert committee. Dalit-Left groups, meanwhile, have urged that the report should not meet the same fate as the earlier AJ Sadashiva Commission report, whose recommendations were not implemented.
Published Aug 18, 2025 | 8:41 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 18, 2025 | 8:41 AM
Representative image.
Synopsis: The Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission report on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes in Karnataka has triggered sharp divisions between Dalit-Left and Dalit-Right groups, with both launching separate protests. Dalit-Right organisations have demanded a review, alleging that their population figures were reduced and several sub-castes wrongly excluded, while Dalit-Left groups are pressing for immediate implementation of the report.
In Karnataka, different sections within the Scheduled Castes, traditionally referred to as the Scheduled Castes Left-Hand and Scheduled Castes Right-Hand, have expressed concerns over parts of the Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission report on internal reservation.
Also known as the Dalit-Left and Dalit-Right, the former primarily includes the Madiga community and allied castes, while the latter largely comprises the Holeya community and allied castes.
The Commission, led by Justice Das, a retired High Court judge, submitted its detailed report on 4 August. It followed a caste-wise survey conducted across the state between 5 May and 6 July 2025, involving door-to-door data collection, special camps, and online self-declaration. The ruling Congress had promised internal reservation for SC communities in its 2023 election manifesto.
Dalit-Right groups have argued that the panel’s report on internal reservation was unscientific and that its findings should be reviewed by an expert committee. Dalit-Left groups, meanwhile, have urged that the report should not meet the same fate as the earlier AJ Sadashiva Commission report, whose recommendations were not implemented.
The report, which was tabled before the Cabinet on 7 August, will now be taken up for discussion at a special Cabinet meeting on 19 August, following dissenting voices within the government.
The discussion had earlier been scheduled for 16 August but was postponed.
Among the several Dalit groups across the state protesting for their demands is the Hassan district unit of the Karnataka Rajya Balagai Sambandhita Jatigala Okkoota, a federation of castes identified as Scheduled Castes-Right in the state. The group held a protest in Hassan on 12 August, demanding a review of the report.
They maintained that the sub-castes Paraya, Adi Karnataka, Adi Dravida, Adi Andhra, Holeya Dasara, Chenna Dasar, and Holar were part of Dalit-Right.
The population of these sub-castes, they argued, should be included while calculating the total population of the SC-Right. They urged the government to consider this demand before implementing the Commission’s recommendations.
The SC Balagai (Right-Hand) Horata Samiti also expressed similar concerns, alleging that the Commission had reduced their population figures from 50 lakh to 20 lakh. “This has inflicted grave injustice on the Balagai group,” the organisation said.
The Samiti held a massive protest on 14 August, marching from Town Hall to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Siddarthanagar, Mysore, urging the government not to implement the recommendations.
Prior to the protest, former Mayor Purushotham addressed a press meet on 13 August, claiming that the Commission surveyed only 1.16 crore members of the SC community in the state, whereas the actual population stood at 1.47 crore, leaving out 31 lakh members.
“When such a large section has been excluded from the survey, how can the Commission deliver justice to all SC communities? The report is riddled with shortcomings,” he said.
Dalit-Left groups, on the other hand, are seeking immediate implementation of the report. Under the banner of the Federation for Social Justice for Scheduled Castes, various Dalit-Left organisations began an indefinite protest on 11 August, demanding that the government issue an order to set in motion the report’s recommendations.
Internal reservation has been a long-standing demand of the SC-Left community. The group has accused the Dalit-Right of cornering reservation benefits in public education and employment opportunities.
Earlier, a report by the Sadashiva Commission, constituted by the Congress–Janata Dal (Secular) government in 2005, had recommended classification of the 15 percent SC quota into six percent for SC-Left, five percent for SC-Right, three percent for Bhovi, Lambani, Koracha and Korama castes, and one percent for others. However, the report was never implemented.
Even groups categorised as ‘touchable’ (Bhovi, Banjara, Korma and Korcha) are dissatisfied with being given four percent and are demanding an increase to five percent. A delegation of Congress leaders from these communities held a press conference on 6 August, urging the Chief Minister to obtain objections from all SC communities and make changes accordingly.
“When the BJP provided 4.5 percent reservation to these four communities, there had been protests at former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s residence. Some protestors even threw stones at his house. These four communities worked for the Congress’ victory, and have played a decisive role in over 75 constituencies,” said former MLC Prakash Rathod, who was part of the delegation that included Deputy Speaker in the Legislative Assembly Rudrappa Lamani and former Minister BT Lalitha Nayak, among others.
The Justice Nagamohan Das Commission has recommended a separate category with one percent reservation for the Adi Karnataka, Adi Dravida and Adi Andhra communities (AK, AD and AA), to accommodate those not included in any of the other four categories.
This goes against the demand of the SC-Right, which had proposed that these communities should come under their grouping.
Meanwhile, Holar, Holeya Dasara and Chenna Dasar have been included in the category for which the Commission has recommended one percent reservation. They are not part of the SC-Right, which has been allocated five percent.
The Parayas have been grouped in Category ‘B’, with six percent reservation. This has also drawn objections from SC-Right leaders, who argue that Parayas are sociologically similar to Holeyas and that all these sub-castes should be counted within the SC-Right population.
The Commission has proposed internal quotas within the overall 17 percent quota for Scheduled Castes, based on the respective population of each group:
With tensions rising, all eyes will now be on the Cabinet meeting on 19 August, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will have to balance social justice with political considerations.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
