Congress Leader Ugrappa Slams Govt Over Social Justice Failures in Karnataka
Former member of parliament and senior Congress leader V S Ugrappa expressed deep concern on Saturday, stating that both the Union and state governments have failed to ensure social justice for marginalized communities in Karnataka. "I am saying this with great pain," Ugrappa told reporters in Mysuru, highlighting the ongoing struggles faced by socially and educationally backward groups.
Allegations of Injustice and Neglect
Ugrappa alleged that backward communities in the state are not receiving justice in proportion to their population, accusing both governments of ignoring their concerns and treating them merely as vote banks. He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to immediately convene an all-party meeting and lead a delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address this critical issue. "Do not test the patience of SC and ST communities. Protect those who voted for you," he warned, emphasizing the urgency of the matter.
Demand for Proportional Reservation
According to Ugrappa, Scheduled Castes (SC) constitute 17%, Scheduled Tribes (ST) 7%, and Other Backward Classes (OBC) 32% of Karnataka's population. He rued that despite B R Ambedkar's advocacy for reservation proportional to population, the policy has not been implemented in letter and spirit. Pointing to Tamil Nadu's implementation of 69% reservation, he argued that Karnataka should provide 56% reservation to SC, ST, and OBC communities to ensure fair representation.
Constitutional Safeguards and Government Vacancies
Ugrappa urged both the Union and state governments to include such reservation provisions under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to safeguard them from legal challenges. Referring to the state government's announcement of filling 56,000 government vacancies, he noted that according to the 7% quota, ST communities should be allotted around 3,750 posts. However, due to pending litigation and stay orders, only about 1,600 posts may go to ST candidates, highlighting systemic delays and obstacles.
Internal Congress Dynamics and Caution
Responding to questions on internal differences within the Karnataka Congress, Ugrappa acknowledged that "it is true that everything is not smooth in state Congress." However, he cautioned that "speaking casually in different forums" won't help the party, suggesting a need for internal unity and strategic communication to address both party and public issues effectively.
