Panchamasali Lingayat quota: Will place previous BJP govt's affidavit to SC before Assembly, says CM
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 9: In a bid to corner opposition BJP that has extended support to Panchamasali Linayats' protest demanding higher reservation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday told the state Assembly that he will place before it, the previous saffron party government's affidavit to the Supreme Court on the issue.
The Chief Minister's statement came a day ahead of Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-sect of the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, planning to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here demanding to be included in category 2A (15 per cent) of OBC reservation matrix. They are currently included under 3B (5 per cent).
He was responding to senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal urging the CM to take a concrete decision on Panchamasali Lingayats' demand.
ALSO READ: Panchamasali seer upset over restrictions on protests in Belagavi
"Panchamasali Lingayats have been demanding that they be included under 2A, I held two meetings with Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peetha seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami and other leaders and I have told them clearly that I'm not opposed to their reservation demands," Siddaramaiah said.
Noting that there are categories in OBC like category 1, 2A, 3A, 3B, and Veershaiva Lingayats and Panchamasali Lingayats come under category 3B, he said, "If we have to include any community under category 2A or 1 freshly, an application has to be filed before a permanent backward class commission."
Further stating that the previous government did not include the Panchamasali Lingayats under 2A category, Siddaramaiah said, "They instead cancelled 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and gave 2 percent from it to communities that come under 3B and 2 per cent to 3A communities."
When Muslims appealed against it in the Supreme Court, the previous BJP government had filed an affidavit undertaking that they will not withdraw 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and will maintain the status quo, he said.
At this point, some BJP MLAs demanded CM not to make his own statement and to place the actual facts from the affidavit, and sought for discussion. Responding to it, Siddaramaiah said, "It is not my personal statement, I will place Supreme Court orders before the House the day after tomorrow.
What has happened in the Supreme Court, what undertaking you have given there, I will place everything before the House. I expect everyone will abide by the Supreme Court orders." The government will give a reply and make its stand clear when the issue is raised, he added.
Earlier, Home Minister G Parameshwara clarified to the Legislative Assembly that there are no restrictions on the protest by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday, demanding higher reservation, but tractors will not be permitted, as there was a plan to bring 5,000 tractors to the protest site near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the session is on.
"The Panchamasali community has planned a protest regarding their reservation demands, according to information I received they have plans to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by bringing 5,000 tractors. If 5,000 tractors come, we will not be able to hold the session here and it will not be possible to maintain the law and order. So we have decided not to allow tractors and we have already communicated it," he said.
"Protesting is their right and we won't restrict it, but as it will be difficult to maintain law and order, we have said that tractors should not be brought. We will allow people to come in jeeps, with some restrictions, and we will maintain law and order. If we don't do it, you (opposition) will accuse us of not maintaining law and order. So if they do it with restraint, we will give permission," he said.
The Home Minister was responding to some BJP MLAs earlier in the day protesting from the well of the House alleging that the Belagavi district administration has put restrictions on a protest planned by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
