The Panchamasali community, a numerically strong sub-sect among Lingayats, which had set a deadline of June 27 to the State government to make its stand clear on reservation for them, has extended the deadline by another two months. This comes as a breather to the BJP government
Sources said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai sought time to address the demand of Panchamasalis to be added in the 2A reservation category among the backward classes reservation matrix. This could possibly be the last deadline for the government before it could take a decision, they said.
The Panchamasali seer Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swami had earlier threatened to lay siege to the Chief Minister’s residence at Shiggaon in Haveri district, after June 27, if their demand was not met. He had taken out a padayatra from Kudalasangama earlier.
The decision came after the community leader and BJP legislator Basannagouda Patil Yatnal met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai along with Public Works Minister C.C. Patil here on Wednesday. The sources said that a number of leaders met Mr. Patil earlier to discuss the possibility of extending the deadline.
The decision to give time came at a meeting presided over by the Kudalasangama Mutt seer earlier where community leaders cutting across party lines participated. They included BJP MLA Arvind Bellad, former Congress MLAs Vinay Kulkarni and Vijayanand Kashappanavar and other legislators and former legislators from the community.
Shivakumar Meti, Bengaluru city president of the Panchamasali Mahapeetha, said that the movement to press for the 2A category would resume if the government did not meet the demand in two months. “The Chief Minister has assured our delegation that the issue would be resolved in two months,” he said.
Sources said that the delay by the Government over the 2A status was bringing about greater unity in the community as more people are now joining the movement. “More people in the movement would also mean a political message to the government and other parties,” the sources said.
