Mysuru, 17 May

Former minister and senior Madiga community leader H Anjaneya on Saturday asserted that the Madiga community will persist with its statewide agitation until the Karnataka government fulfils key demands, including internal reservation and proportionate political representation.

Speaking at a meeting of Madiga leaders from Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts at the Jaladarshini Guest House, Anjaneya said the community, despite forming a substantial portion of the Scheduled Castes (SC) population in districts like Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Kolar, and Chikkaballapura, has been historically underrepresented in politics and public service. “Only a few leaders such as N Rachaiah, TN Narasimhamurthy, KH Muniyappa, Govind Karjol, and Ramesh Jigajinagi have risen to prominence,” he said.

Anjaneya pointed out that the agitation for internal reservation gained momentum after similar efforts succeeded in Andhra Pradesh, but the lack of unity among Karnataka’s Madigas has hindered progress, despite recommendations from commissions like Justice Sadashiva and JC Madhuswamy.

He welcomed the state government’s decision to constitute the Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission to conduct a caste-based survey for accurate SC population data. He urged community members to truthfully declare themselves as Madigas, rather than Adi Karnataka, Adi Dravida, or Adi Andhra, to ensure targeted benefits.

Highlighting concerns over misuse of SC reservation by upper caste Beda Jangamas, Anjaneya demanded the government take strict action. He also noted that recruitment to backlog posts and SC official promotions are on hold pending the survey results.