Including Kurubas in ST category should come with increased quota: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that if the Kuruba community is to be included under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, the percentage of ST reservation should also be proportionally increased. “No one should take away another’s food plate or snatch away anyone’s opportunities. That is my firm stand,” the Chief Minister stated clearly.

Speaking at the Valmiki Jayanti celebrations held at the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha, where he presented Valmiki Awards, Siddaramaiah called upon the Valmiki community to stand firmly by those who had worked for their upliftment while in power.

“When in power, you must support those who have stood by you and worked to improve your community’s opportunities,” he told members of the Valmiki community. The Chief Minister reminded the audience that it was during his Congress government’s previous term that a law was enacted to ensure that funds were allocated to SC/ST communities based on their population ratio.

“It was my government that established hostels and Morarji schools for every hobli to benefit SC/ST students. This history should be well known. So, the Valmiki community must stand with those who have genuinely worked for their welfare,” he said.

Recalling the long history of the ST inclusion efforts, Siddaramaiah said: “Both Ugrappa and I had appealed to Ramkrishna Hegde to include the Valmiki and Kuruba communities under the ST category. Though Hegde forwarded the recommendation to the Centre, it did not materialize then. But Ugrappa did not give up. With his efforts and good relations with leaders like Deve Gowda and Chandrashekhar, the Valmiki community was eventually included in the ST list when Chandrashekhar was the Prime Minister. It must not be forgotten that it was because of Ugrappa’s efforts that the Valmiki, Beda, and Nayaka communities got reservation benefits.”

The Chief Minister clarified that it was not his government that recommended Kurubas to be included under ST. “The struggle for Kuruba inclusion was led by BJP’s Eshwarappa, and it was Bommai’s government that sent the recommendation to the Centre. The Centre has only asked for a few clarifications on that recommendation, and that’s where the matter currently stands,” he said.

Reiterating his position, Siddaramaiah said, “If Kurubas are added to the ST list, the total ST quota must be increased accordingly. I support that idea completely.” He also recalled that during J.H. Patel’s tenure as Chief Minister, recommendations were sent to the Centre to include several communities, including the Bestha community, under ST, but it has not been approved to date.

Speaking about the literary and cultural greatness of Maharshi Valmiki, Siddaramaiah said, “Valmiki, who belonged to a community deprived of formal education, went on to become a world-renowned figure by composing the epic Ramayana.