Date:17/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/17/stories/2007051718740400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Samiti hails appointment of Bhimappa

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Rajya Adi Jambava Kshemabhivriddhi Samiti has said that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda have set a "revolutionary" social and political precedent by appointing Gonal Bhimappa, who belongs to Madiga community, as Chairman to the Karnataka Public Service Commission.

Samiti president and Janata Dal (Secular) MLA H. Anjaneya told presspersons here on Wednesday that Mr. Bhimappa's appointment to the coveted post, despite having a member of the same community in the panel, amounted to enforcing the much discussed internal reservation.

Internal quota

No State Government could enforce internal reservation without brining in amendments to certain existing clauses of reservation to Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes as specified in the Constitution.

The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu had made efforts to implement internal reservation to favour the Madar community.

But he could not enforce it as some interested persons took the issue to the apex court, he said.

Amid legal impediments and political opposition, Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Gowda ventured to give some political and administrative powers to the oppressed Madiga community, he said.

The National Democratic Alliance Government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made efforts to table a Bill seeking amendments to the Constitution in parliament for accommodating internal reservation.

But now the issue was hanging in balance at the hands of "selfish" Congress, he alleged.