Karnataka: Mallikarjun Kharge calls for SC-ST unity to elect ‘sons of the soil’

In a bid to consolidate Dalit and tribal votes ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls, All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to people from SC and ST communities to unite to dethrone the BJP in Karnataka.

Kharge was addressing the “Aikyata Samavesha” — a large convention of SC-ST communities organised by the Karnataka Congress in the run-up to the Assembly polls — in the Chitradurga district.

The ruling BJP government organised similar mega conventions — “Navashakti Samavesha” — for SCs and STs in Ballari and Mysuru, respectively, in November last year.

‘Sons of the soil’

A Dalit stalwart himself, Kharge said: “In a democracy, if you make one person a God, it is not democracy. It is a monocracy; it will lead to dictatorship. Think about it. You have to know your rights and you should fight to get it.”

Stressing on unity among Dalits, Kharge said, “If you have strength, if you are united, you will have value. If you are not united, the divide-and-rule principle, which the British used and now Modi is using, will be applied to you by everyone else in society. Keep this in mind.”

The Constitutional right of reservation, will be guaranteed, only when we protect our Constitution and Democracy.

It is heartening to see that lakhs of people joined the Aikyatha Samavesha in Chitradurga today to provide strength to @INCKarnataka . pic.twitter.com/KHbJXNhfIA

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 8, 2023

He also said: “The aim should be to protect democracy in the country and safeguard the Constitution. If the Constitution and democracy are there, one can ask for reservation, promotions, and can become MLA or a minister.”

Regionalism, anti-corruption, opposing communalism

With the Karnataka BJP lacking state-level leadership and depending on Central leaders of the party to bring them votes this election, the Congress has opted to play the regionalism card.

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi projected his Gujarati identity to seek votes, Kharge said, “All of us here are from Karnataka. CLP leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC president DK Shivakumar, former Union minister KH Muniyappa, former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and I are from Karnataka. So, we are sons of this soil. We will urge you to get us elected and make us form the government.”

Taking dig at the Basavaraj Bommai-led Karnataka government, Kharge said, “The BJP created fights between people in the name of religion and caste. It is responsible for it. There is a “looto aur baanto” (loot and share) system under the saffron cadre. Under their regime, no work is happening; money is demanded everywhere.”

He added: “Officials say money is important at all levels. We have such a government here. Do we want such a government here? If such a government has to go, you will have to work together to ensure Congress wins.”

Siddaramaiah’s reservation pitch

Deeming the BJP “anti-reservation”, Opposition leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said: “The history books prove that the BJP failed to display its trust and commitment when it comes to social justice and reservation. The Sangha Parivar [the umbrella term for the BJP, its ideological parent, and all the organisations under the latter] has never accepted the Constitution.”

He added: “Efforts are being made to change the Constitution. Many leaders, including MP Ananthkumar Hegde, have openly made public statements on changing the Constitution, but no action has been initiated against such leaders.”

Taking an exception to the Economic Weaker Sections (EWS) reservation, Siddaramaiah pointed out: “There is a provision in the Constitution to provide reservation to only those communities that are socially and educationally lacking behind. However, there is no provision to provide 10 percent reservation for the poor in the General Category.”

He also said: “The Union government gave a nod to the EWS reservation act in an urgency and committed fraud.”

Welfare programmes for SCs and STs

In the Aikyata Samavesha, the Grand Old Party promised various welfare schemes for SCs and STs in education and agriculture, and tabling the Justice Sadashiva Commission report in the Assembly if elected to power in the April-May polls.

A “NEW DAWN”, A “NEW ERA”,

A “AGENDA OF JUSTICE FOR SC-ST”,
at “Aikyata Samavesh”, Chitradurga.

HISTORY IS BEING WRITTEN TODAY,

CONGRESS CHARTER OF “SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR SC-ST’s” 👇 pic.twitter.com/8MkG1d12cB

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 8, 2023

Terming the quota hike for SCs and STs only a political gimmick of the ruling BJP, AICC general secretary and Karnataka’s Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said: “The BJP government deliberately and maliciously sat over the report for three years. Though there was a demand from our party, neither the Karnataka nor the Union government displayed any interest to enhance the reservation for SCs and STs.”

He added: “The state government enacted a law only to enhance the reservation, but not to include it in Schedule 9. This is nothing but misleading the public for the furtherance of the prospects of their party.”

Surjewala continued: “Therefore, we hereby demand both governments to accept the report in total and include the enhanced reservation enactment into Schedule 9 of the Constitution within 30 January.”

In its promises, the Congress said that it would table the Justice Sadashiva Commission report in the very first session of the legislature of their government.

“After seeking the views of both the houses, we will recommend to the Union government to provide reservation to all the sections of SC category to ensure social justice by protecting the interest of all the sections of SC category,” assured Surjewala.

The full utilisation of grants allocated under SCP-TSP, 3.86 lakh houses for SC and ST members within five years, 2 acres of dry land to those families that are landless under the “Land Ownership Scheme”, filling up all the vacant government posts — including SC/ST backlog vacancies — within five years, and scholarship for SC/ST students in Classes 1 to 10 were among the various promises made by the Congress to the people at the mega convention in Chitradurga.