Siddaramaiah calls BJP's stand on reservations false

Bengaluru: Former chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah questioned BJP and Sangh Parivar's stand on caste-based reservations.

Siddaramaiah on Sunday alleged that Sangh Parivar leaders were fanning the agitation of various communities in the state demanding reservation, to 'mislead' their struggle for social justice.

Various communities led by their seers have intensified their ongoing agitation in Karnataka, demanding reservation and categorisation as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes.

In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah has lambasted BJP and Sangh Parivar. "Is it an honest awakening for the BJP leaders, who have been opposing reservation for a long time, voicing their concern over reservations? Is this a political trick to mislead the fight for social justice?

"Is it an honest enlightenment that the BJP leaders who have long opposed reservations are now voicing their concerns over the issue. Is this another political tactic to derail the fight for social justice?" he wondered.

"Who opposed the Mandal Commission and set themselves on fire? Who is on the streets opposing the reservations in higher education? In which party did Rama Jois challenge the reservation in local bodies in court? " the former chief minister asked.

Siddaramaiah questioned the Sangh Parivar and said the organisation that was against caste has off late woken up to mislead the ongoing fight against social injustice.

"The public shouldn't become victims to the ploy of the RSS that intends to create controversies and pit one against another."

The senior Congress leader expressed bewilderment over the BJP protests saying that at a time when the State and Center have BJP governments who are the leaders protesting against?

"Narendra Modi is our PM and Yediyurappa is our CM. The only solution is to follow the law made by the Congress government to increase the reservation to 73% in line with the model followed in Tamil Nadu. The implementation of the same is in the hands of the BJP government at the Centre.

"If the State BJP government is in favor of a reservation hike, it should accept the first survey and implement the recommendations. The survey was based on social, educational and economic status of the people," Siddaramaiah said.