Bengaluru: Leaders of the “Social Justice Committee for Scheduled Caste Backward Class Reservation” attempted to stage a protest at the residence of Social Welfare Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa on Friday, demanding his resignation. They alleged that the minister was obstructing the allocation of a 1% separate reservation for the Valmiki community under the internal reservation scheme. Police intervened and detained several protestors.
The protest took place near Crescent Road, Shivananda Circle, where the leaders tried to blockade the minister’s residence, raising slogans against the minister and department officials. In a separate attempt, another group of the committee moved from Freedom Park towards the minister’s residence but was also detained by police and brought to the CAR Police Grounds on Mysuru Road.
The committee leaders accused Minister Mahadevappa, Department Secretary Manivannan, Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, and adviser E. Venkatayya of neglecting a government file approving the implementation of the internal reservation order. They claimed the current order applied only to direct recruitment and not to promotions or backlog vacancies, creating hurdles in its implementation.
“The authorities are violating government directives related to roster points for direct and promotion-based recruitment, thereby obstructing the internal reservation process. Those responsible are unfit for public service, and their continued presence in the department is blocking the development of the Madiga community,” the leaders said. They also alleged misappropriation of SCP-TSP funds.
The protestors demanded the issuance of orders extending internal reservation to promotions and backlog vacancies. They called for clarifying and reissuing orders concerning EK, AD, and AA positions due to existing confusion. They further urged disclosure of details from the Naga Mohan Das report, which included 4.73 lakh non-Scheduled Caste individuals.
Additionally, they demanded that local bodies and financial sectors adopt a Telangana-style reservation policy, that a permanent commission be established to provide 1% separate reservation for the Valmiki community, and that the advisory position in the department be abolished. They also called for the transfer of senior officials who have held top positions for several years and the formation of a monitoring committee to ensure proper implementation of the reservation policy.
Among the leaders present at the protest were Basavaraj Kautal, Ambanna Arolikar, Mareppa, Shivaraya Akkaraki, Venkatesh, Virupakshi, Chandru, Venugopal Maurya, Abraham, M.C. Srinivas, Hanumantappa Kakargal, Kanakenahalli Krishnappa, Padma, Mahalakshmi, and others.