Belagavi, Karnataka – In a powerful statement that has stirred political discourse, Member of Parliament Govind Karjol declared that for a Dalit to become Chief Minister in Karnataka, a visionary like Basavanna would need to be reborn. His remarks came during a press conference organized by a district-level federation at a private hotel in Belagavi on Thursday.
Karjol criticized successive governments for their continued injustice and neglect toward Scheduled Castes, stating that the Sadashiva Commission report has become a closed chapter. He demanded that the state government implement internal reservation before the upcoming legislative session. “If the government fails to act, we will launch an intense statewide agitation,” he warned.
Internal Reservation: A Lingering Demand Karjol expressed disappointment that despite constitutional provisions for SC/ST reservations, the internal categorization within these groups has not been addressed in Karnataka. He pointed out that while other states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Punjab have implemented internal reservations for marginalized sub-castes, Karnataka has lagged behind—even when leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge were AICC President and Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister.
He recalled that during S.M. Krishna’s tenure, the Sadashiva Commission was formed to study internal reservation. Justice Sadashiva even considered resigning due to lack of basic support, until then-Deputy CM B.S. Yediyurappa allocated ₹13 crore to the commission. However, Karjol accused Siddaramaiah of failing to deliver justice during his term as CM, despite having the report in hand.
Warning of Statewide Protests Karjol emphasized that the Supreme Court’s directive on internal reservation will complete one year on August 1. With the legislative session beginning on August 11, he demanded that the government act before then. Otherwise, he warned, the Madiga community will launch a statewide protest on August 16.
“We will not allow the government to function. Ministers will not be allowed to move freely on the streets,” he cautioned. A Call for Justice and Representation Karjol lamented that many current ministers, MLAs, and MPs seem to question the very need for reservations. “It’s unfortunate that such people are in power,” he said. He stressed that reservations were introduced to uplift communities historically subjected to untouchability and social exclusion—not as a political tool.
He concluded by reiterating that unless a leader with the vision and courage of Basavanna emerges, the dream of a Dalit Chief Minister in Karnataka may remain unfulfilled.
