NAPM urges Karnataka CM to uphold 1% internal reservation promise for nomadic communities

By A Representative

The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ahead of his scheduled meeting with representatives of 59 nomadic, semi-nomadic, and small Scheduled Caste communities. The alliance has urged the Chief Minister to take a decisive step towards granting 1% internal reservation for these communities within the Scheduled Caste category, in line with the recommendations of the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission.

In its appeal, NAPM recalled the two-week protest held earlier this month by over 600 members of the Confederation of Untouchable Nomadic Communities of Karnataka in Delhi, where they demanded internal reservations and socio-economic justice. The protestors had engaged in discussions with national and state Congress leaders, following which the Karnataka government had reportedly agreed in principle to the demand for a 1% quota, the establishment of a dedicated development corporation, and the formulation of a special welfare package.

The letter, signed by NAPM leaders Arundhati Dhuru, Ashish Ranjan, Khalil-ur-Rehman, Madhuresh Kumar, Meera Sanghamitra, Sheikh Salauddin, Rosemary Dzuvichu, and Suneetha Achyuta, calls upon the state government to honour its assurances. It urges the Chief Minister to pass a law guaranteeing the reservation, announce a comprehensive socio-economic development package focusing on livelihoods, land, education, healthcare, and housing, and set up a dedicated development corporation to oversee its implementation.

Expressing hope for a fair and firm decision, NAPM emphasized that the move would mark a significant step towards justice and inclusion for Karnataka’s most marginalized nomadic communities.

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