Quota Stir: Karnataka CM says he will talk to Banjara protestors as SC stir spreads

The protests by the Banjara community (SC) members against the proposed internal reservations on Wednesday spread from Shivamogga to Davanagere and Bagalkot districts.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai maintained that the government had more than fulfilled its demands. "The communities have some misgivings…they are misguided by the Congress," he told the media in Bengaluru, while expressing confidence in resolving the issue at the earliest.

On Wednesday, members of the Banjara, Bhovi and Koracha subsects created a blockade in Shivamogga district, disrupting movement between Shikaripur and Shivamogga city.


On Monday, several protestors pelted stones at BJP veteran Yediyurappa’s home in a sudden flare-up in his constituency Shikaripur. While the former CM had asked the police to not arrest the protestors, they still filed four FIRs and arrested three people on Tuesday.

The protestors are opposing the state government’s moves to implement the Justice AJ Sadashiva Commission’s report advocating internal reservation among the SCs - a move, they feel, would be detrimental to the community. The Sadashiva Commission's recommendations, if implemented, would deny them opportunities in educational institutions and government jobs as it had recommended to exclude them the reservation benefits, the community said.

Banjaras, or Lambanis, are the third-largest group among the SCs. They live in 3,450 thandas and can influence assembly results in around 42 constituencies in the poll-bound state.