Bengaluru: The BJP Saturday came down heavily on the Congress govt for reducing overall Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation from 17% to 15% and lowered allocations to key sub-categories, terming the revised internal quota formula “unjust to several communities.“On Friday, the cabinet led by chief minister Siddaramaiah approved internal distribution within the 15% SC quota, allocating 5.25% each to right-hand and left-hand groups, and around 4.5% to other SC communities, including nomadic groups.BJP president BY Vijayendra said the revised formula reduces earlier allocations, alleging that Category ‘A’ quota has been cut from 6% to 5.25% and Category ‘B’ from 5.5% to 5.25%. He added that several communities have been grouped under Category ‘C’, with their share reduced to about 4.5% instead of 5.5%.He claimed the previous BJP govt had increased SC reservation to 17%, while the present dispensation had agreed to reduce it to 15%. Vijayendra also alleged that implementation of internal reservation was delayed for over two-and-a-half years, affecting recruitment despite large vacancies.BJP MP Govind Karjol questioned the basis of the cabinet decision, stating that the Justice H N Nagamohan Das Committee had recommended a higher allocation. He said earlier reports, including those by AJ Sadashiva commission and a Cabinet sub-committee under former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, as well as a Supreme Court directive, had not been reflected in the revised formula.Karjol termed the decision “arbitrary justice” and alleged it could create divisions among SC sub-castes. Other BJP functionaries also criticised the govt over delays in recruitment linked to the implementation of internal reservation.
