From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 27: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D K Shivakumar has lent his support to the struggle for demanding reservation benefits to the politically dominant Vokkaliga community, which is quite predominant in the Old Mysuru region.

He was addressing a meeting convened by the State Vokkaliga Sangha to discuss the strategy to be adopted for demanding higher reservation quota for the community in Bengaluru on Sunday in which Adichunchanagri Mutt seer Sri Nirmalananda Swamiji, Shira Spatikapuri Mutt seer Sri Nanjavadhoota Swamiji, former BJP Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Minister Gopalaiah, MLA M Krishnappa, MLC S Ravi, advocate C H Hanumantharaya and Vokkaliga Sangha president Balakrishna and other community leaders were present.

"We will be able to succeed in our objective if we work unitedly forgetting our political differences under the leadership of the seers of the community,’’ he said.

Shivakumar said the demand for higher reservation benefits to the Vokkaliga community is not aimed at snatching or denying the reservation benefits of other community or against any other community,

Shivakumar said the Sangha is demanding its rightful share of the reservation benefits based on the community’s strength. The legal experts from the community have already discussed the issue after the recent Supreme Court judgement allowing reservation benefits to the Economically Weaker Sections even in the forward communities.

The KPCC chief pointed out that the SC/ST communities are not only provided reservation benefits based on their population numbers but even budgetary grants based on the population figures.

"Different communities have already launched their agitations and we are following suit. We are not against reservation benefits to other communities or objecting to the struggles launched by other communities. But we must fight for our rights,’’ he said.

Shivakumar said the apex court judgement has provided the ideal opportunity for the community to mount its struggle and there is need to fight unitedly. This is not a struggle of individuals but of the entire community under the leadership of our seers, he said.

The KPCC chief, however, sought to make it a point that he owes his position as the State Congress president to his community which has been given to a Vokkaliga after former chief minister S M Krishna.

There are several leaders even in BJP from the Vokkaliga community like R Ashok and our positions are because of the community, he said and declared that he was ready to discharge his duties in the struggle as the Vokkaliga community has rallied behind him when he was arrested and sent to jail.