Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday announced its decision to abolish the four per cent quota for ‘religious minorities’ and add it to the existing quota of two Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities of the poll-bound state. The four per cent reservation will now be divided into two equal parts and added to the existing quota for the two communities; taking the Lingayat reservation from 5% to 7% and the reservation for the Vokkaliga community from 4% to 6%. Two new reservation categories of 2C and 2D were created for the dominant communities during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year. With eyes on the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, the BJP govt decided to include religious minorities in the EWS category. Following the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters that the religious minorities quota would be eliminated and brought under the EWS group’s 10% pool without any changes.

“The four per cent (reservation for minorities) will be divided into two between 2C and 2D. The four per cent reservation for the Vokkaligas and others will enhance to six per cent and Veerashaiva Panchamasali and others (Lingayats), who were getting five per cent reservation will now get seven per cent,” the CM explained.

Government of Karnataka has decided to increase the Lingayat reservation from 5% to 7% and reservation for Vokkaliga community from 4% to 6%: CM Basavaraj Bommai pic.twitter.com/iSphxpUYxd

— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2023

BJP’s Mission Vokkaliga In South Karnataka Explained:

The major decision comes amid BJP’s mission to gain the Vokkaliga vote bank by extending the claims of Hindu activists that erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan was killed by Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, and not by the Britishers.  The BJP, which is trying to make inroads into the Vokkaliga-dominated ‘Old Mysuru’ region ahead of the upcoming Assembly election in the state, seems to be using the duo as their latest mascots. BJP is using them to target Tipu Sultan and to accuse Congress and JD(S) of indulging in appeasement politics by celebrating the Muslim ruler. 

However, their ambitions suffered a setback after Vokkaliga seer Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji intervened in the matter and slammed the attempts to project Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda as killers of Tipu Sultan. The statement by the seer has been praised by progressive thinkers. 

The seer of the Math, which is highly regarded by Vokkaligas, has called for a gathering of information, edicts and historical records about the duo, if any, before arriving at any decision.

On Monday, he had also summoned Horticulture Minister Munirathna, a film producer-turned-politician, whose studio planned to make a movie by registering the title, ‘Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda’, and directed him not to go ahead with the project. Munirathna too has agreed to abide by the Seer’s directive.

The Congress and JD(S) leaders have maintained that Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda did not even exist and that they might just be fictional characters.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar issued a warning that if the narrative that Nanje Gowda and Uri Gowda killed Tipu Sultan is pursued, he would launch an agitation being a member of the Vokkaliga community.