Karnataka: Adivasi leaders demand internal classification in ST reservation

Bengaluru, Oct 9 (IANS) Adivasi leaders, in a meeting held at Legislators’ Home in Bengaluru on Thursday, demanded that steps must also be taken to extend internal reservation to Scheduled Tribes. After the meeting, Adivasi leaders met Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Law Minister H.K. Patil, and the state’s Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and submitted a memorandum. 

More than 30 Adivasi leaders from 12 districts participated in the meeting.

BJP MLC Shantaram Siddi stated: "The historic judgment on internal reservation delivered on August 1, 2024, had stated that along with Scheduled Castes, internal classification should also be made within the Scheduled Tribes. However, the Karnataka government has proceeded only with the process of implementing internal reservation for Scheduled Castes."

MLC Siddi pointed out that, unlike in the case of Scheduled Castes, there is a serious issue in the implementation of reservation among Scheduled Tribes. Small tribes, micro-tribes, weaker tribes, and dominant communities are all grouped together under a single category.

As a result, many tribal communities have been left out of the benefits of the government’s reservation system. The government must urgently take note of this and form a commission headed by a retired judge to ensure a scientific distribution of ST reservation, stated Soliga community professor Dr. Jade Gowda.

The memorandum emphasized that the state government should take seriously the Supreme Court’s observation that when unequals are grouped together with equals, reservation becomes an illusion for the last person in line.

The delegation was led by MLC Shantarama Siddi, Dr. Ganesh Bettakuruba, Hasalar Muthappa, Kudiyar Mittu Ranjan, Shivaraj Yerava, Raju Iruliga, Hakkipikki Kamaraj, Tyagaraju, H.V. Chandrashekhar (Marati Naik community), S.N. Ashok, K.S. Mahesh, Gowdlu Chetan, M.C. Yogish, and Samarasyavedike’s Vadiraj.

As of October 2025, the Karnataka government, following a Supreme Court ruling, has formally implemented internal reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), dividing the 17 per cent SC quota among three new sub-categories. The decision is based on a modified version of the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission report.

The government's new internal reservation policy has met with mixed reactions and protest from various communities. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched an indefinite protest in September 2025, alleging the Congress government’s policy has created injustice and merged disparate communities.

Banjara and Bhovi communities held a "Bengaluru Chalo" protest, arguing that the new classification is "unscientific" and denies justice to nomadic and semi-nomadic groups.

--IANS

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