From launching flag to floating new forums, OBC bloc attempts new consolidation

Amid the anticipation of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC) soon submitting its proposal of the socio-educational survey, the Other Backward Classes bloc successful the State seems to beryllium undergoing a dilatory and soundless churn.

Attempts are being made to consolidate the disparate castes and bring them person arsenic a almighty governmental bloc. Keenly watched, the study is expected to propulsion up socio, acquisition and economical presumption of castes that could beryllium utilized to supply targeted enactment to the needy community. More importantly, it would propulsion up the colonisation size of each caste, seen arsenic an important instrumentality successful governmental bargaining.

New outfit launched

The Karnataka State Suppressed Backward Castes Federation (KSSBCF) has been launched to bring unneurotic 95 castes successful Category 1, 102 from Category 2 A, and 1 caste each from Category 3A and 3B. Significantly, the federation has distanced itself from Kurubas, the ascendant among the Backward Classes successful the State that is numerically larger and perceived to person reaped governmental dividends. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah belongs to Kuruba community.

“The combined colonisation of these castes successful the State is estimated to beryllium astir 1.4 crore, which, if brought together, volition beryllium the strongest unit with an mean 50,000 to 60,000 votes successful astatine slightest 150 Assembly constituency. The federation is apolitical but volition negociate with governmental parties for summons to members of these communities,” said K.N. Lingappa, erstwhile subordinate of KSCBC and 1 of the founders of the federation.

According to him determination should beryllium astatine slightest 45 legislators from the bloc, successful keeping with colonisation size, but present determination are lone astir 10.

Launch of HSS, yellowish flag

Another effort to consolidate Backward Classes is nether mode arsenic decks are being cleared for the motorboat of the Hindulida Sanghatana Samiti (HSS), connected the lines of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, to supply grassroots organisation operation to the Backward Classes movement. A yellowish emblem with red, blue, and greenish stripes has been launched, and the precocious D. Devaraj Urs is being promoted arsenic a Backward Classes icon.

“Our inaugural recovered roots successful the 2018 Assembly elections, and we recovered that determination is simply a disconnect with grassroots. OBC is simply a heterogenous radical and unless individuality is emphasised, it is hard to bring them together. The HSS volition supply voices to each OBCs, particularly the marginalised communities. Colour (for flag) and individuality is important to convey governmental message,” said Ravi Boseraju, a cardinal fig down the initiative. “We are moving connected ways to supply enactment roles to those from marginalised communities. We anticipation on with fiscal and ineligible support, governmental individuality volition consolidate OBCs.”

The yellowish emblem is seen akin to a bluish emblem associated with Dalit question oregon a greenish emblem for farmers question and the reddish emblem for workers. Incidentally, societal reformer Narayana Guru had utilized yellowish flag, and it has inspired those driving the movement.

“Social justness is not lone for OBC. It is applicable for moving class, Dalits and farmers. The red, bluish and greenish stripe successful the yellowish emblem is to correspond each the groups into the larger OBC consolidation. There is simply a conscious question for OBC consolidation,” said A. Narayana, a module subordinate astatine Azim Premji University, who has been advocating OBC governmental mobilisation successful Karnataka.

Regaining momentum

According to Prof. Narayana, though the OBC mobilisation during the clip of precocious Urs was seen arsenic challenging the governmental dominance of Lingayats and Vokkaligas, that consolidation mislaid momentum later. “Now, again, galore groups are coming up and each of them advocating immoderate benignant of OBC governmental consciousness, asserting rights astir governmental and administrative dues.”