Karnataka: Prohibitory Orders Clamped in Town After Banjara Community Protest on Quota Issue

Shivamogga: Agitating members of the Banjara community on Monday targeted BJP strongman and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s house in Shikaripura town of this district and resorted to stone-pelting, injuring some policemen during a protest against the internal reservation for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) announced by the state government.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in the town.

Reacting to the incidents, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai alleged Congress hand behind the violence.

“Local Congress leaders are instigating people. The Congress is unable to digest the social justice done to every community and it resorted to inciting violence. Banjara community should not fall for any hearsay,” he told reporters.

Police used batons to disperse the large number of protesters which included women. Some members of the Banjara community, who are also known as Lamani or Lambani, were injured.

Police were taken by surprise as the agitators, most of them youths milled around Yediyurappa’s house and resorted to stone-pelting, damaging some window panes.

Sensing the situation going out of control, additional police forces were summoned to the area.

The agitators vented their anger, alleging that "less" reservation was given to the ‘Scheduled Caste-Touchables’, to which the Banjara community belongs.

The Karnataka Cabinet had last week decided to introduce internal reservation amongst the SCs.

After hiking reservation for the SCs from 15% to 17%, the government announced that 6% reservation would be given to SC left sub-category, 5.5% to SC right, 4.5% per cent to touchables and 1% to others.