Rayalaseema districts mark Gouthu Latchanna's 116th birth anniversary
Chittoor District Collector Sumit Kumar said that Latchanna's life was an inspiration to the younger generation. He highlighted the freedom fighter's contribution to the national movement, anti-zamindari movement and a plethora of social reforms, particularly for the upliftment of the Dalits.
Chittoor MLA Gurajala Jaganmohan recalled Latchanna's legendary leadership in the Salt Satyagraha and Quit India movements. Latchanna remained an icon of discipline as a legislator and parliamentarian, he said, while adding that a community hall in Chittoor would be named after Latchanna shortly.
Sri Sathya Sai District Collector T.S. Chetan offered floral tributes to Latchanna at Puttaparthi and urged students to emulate the freedom fighter's sacrifice and dedication to usher in social equality and justice.
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The Hindu
13 hours ago
- The Hindu
Dalit, Adivasi representation in key positions essential for true democracy, says T.S. Shyamkumar
Democracy in India will remain incomplete unless Dalits and Adivasis are ensured fair representation in power, administration, and culture, Dalit activist and writer T.S. Shyamkumar has said. Speaking on the topic 'Dalit Representation in Culture and Institutions' at the International Literature Festival of Kerala here on Wednesday, he argued that entrenched upper-caste values continue to exclude Dalit and Adivasis from decision-making structures. 'For Dalits and Adivasis to have rightful representation, the regressive consciousness shaped by upper caste dominance must be discarded. Only then can we become truly democratic human beings,' he said. He stressed the need for a caste census to identify disparities in power-sharing. 'What the Constitution guarantees Dalits and Adivasis is enough, but the overrepresentation of dominant castes must be corrected. Without caste census, we cannot know who controls power in this country,' Mr. Shyamkumar said. Higher judiciary He pointed out that even OBCs hold less than 3% of central secretary posts, while 252 of 282 Supreme Court judges so far belonged to the upper castes communities. 'Why are Dalits and Adivasis absent in the higher judiciary? Because exclusion is built into the system,' he said. In Kerala too, he asked, how many Dalit Vice-Chancellors or top administrators exist? 'If the red flag of the Communist movement carries the blood of Dalits and Adivasis, then that movement has a moral responsibility to give them rightful space in power,' he added. Mr. Shyamkumar also criticised cultural hegemony, pointing to practices such as serving only vegetarian food in school arts festivals. 'This is nothing but the influence of upper caste culture,' he remarked. Responding to a question, he said Hindutva forces misrepresent Valmiki and Vyasa as Dalits to impose epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata on marginalised communities. Cultural institutions still fail to honour reformers like Sree Narayana Guru. 'Kerala named a university after Adi Shankara but not Sree Narayana Guru. Reservation in cultural institutions is often subverted. Unless governance itself is democratised, Dalits and Adivasis will remain excluded,' Mr. Shyamkumar said. On feminism 'Why should a woman be equal to a man?' asked feminist writer and activist Sarah Joseph during a conversation with Suja Susan George at the literature festival. 'People become strong when they remain true to themselves. Why then should a woman strive to be equal to a man?' she asked. She stressed that freedom exists only when an individual can raise their voice against practices that contradict their ideals and break free from oppressive chains. 'Only then can true liberty be realised,' she said. She explained that men and women are biologically different but are meant to unite spiritually, work together, move society forward, and create future generations. Unfortunately, from the very beginning of social life, patriarchy began to dictate the course of human existence. 'In a society marked by such inequality, women were forced to challenge these biological differences,' Ms. Joseph observed.
News18
13 hours ago
- News18
With 'Left-Right' Karnataka Quota Combination, Siddaramaiah & Congress Seek 'Upper Hand' Against BJP
Last Updated: Internal reservations for Dalits had been a three-decade-old demand that had become a vexed issue for every government, particularly at the time of elections The Karnataka cabinet decision on internal reservation is seen as a 'clever balancing act" of chief minister Siddaramaiah between the right and the left sects among the Scheduled Castes to consolidate his political base. The cabinet decided to provide reservation, sliced the 17% Scheduled Caste quota into three parts—6% each for Dalit Right (Holeyas) and Dalit Left (Madigas), and 5% for Lambanis, Koramas, Korachas, Bhovis and 59 other 'touchable" communities. The cabinet reduced the grouping recommended by the Justice Nagamohan Das commission from five to three. It also changed the pattern of reservation. The commission had suggested five categories—6% for Dalit Left, 5% for Dalit Right, 4% for Lambanis and Bhovis, 1% for Nomads, and 1% for Adi Karnataka and Adi Dravida. The cabinet merged these into three blocks: 6%, 6%, and 5%. The decision, taken late Tuesday night, saw colourful scenes of celebration with large crowds from Dalit groups gathering near Vidhana Soudha and distributing sweets. Aftermath of SC ruling Karnataka becomes the third state in the country to implement internal reservation, following Haryana and Telangana, after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of internal reservation among the 101 Scheduled Castes. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have already put in place arrangements using state legislation like the Arundhati Act. In March this year, the Karnataka government had announced that the Justice Nagamohan Das commission would conduct a fresh survey to classify sub-castes scientifically. The commission conducted training for the surveyors and asked them to utilise advanced technology to complete the survey in 30–40 days, after designing a comprehensive questionnaire for data collection. Internal reservations for Dalits had been a three-decade-old demand that had become a vexed issue for every government, particularly at the time of elections. It had reached a point when the vote of the Left Sect was seen as largely going to the BJP. Siddaramaiah's latest move is being seen as a 'master stroke" in this context by some leaders in the Congress party. 'This will certainly cement Siddaramaiah as the AHINDA leader. This move will only enhance his image as an undeniable elder in backward class politics. Nearly 25% of Karnataka's population benefits from this decision, and they will stand behind him. All Dalit communities are celebrating because they are now assured of equitable access to reservation benefits," said Indudhara Honnapura, noted Dalit activist and commentator. But the move went beyond the politics of reservation. Politically, it bolsters his position when the time comes in the next couple of months to hand over power to deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. The unstated rotational power-sharing agreement is scheduled to come when Siddaramaiah completes two and a half years in the chief minister's seat. Siddaramaiah has now armed himself with a strong political shield. Congress's caste messaging was already on full display last month when the AICC's OBC Advisory Council met in Bengaluru. The meeting, led by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, chief minister Siddaramaiah, and Rahul Gandhi, had signalled that the party was intent on reclaiming its base among the backward classes and the scheduled castes and tribes. Just ahead of the Bihar elections, the Karnataka decision is being seen as part of that larger political messaging. As one senior Congressman put it: 'The Congress has been looking at reclaiming its OBC base, putting pressure on the Centre for a caste census, and standing behind Rahul Gandhi's 'jitni aabadi, utna haq' campaign. It has sent a strong message that the party is with all communities, especially the backward classes." 'We have decided to provide 6 per cent internal reservation to the communities identified as left-handed. The cabinet observed that Justice Nagamohan Das' committee had included right-hand castes like Paraya and Mogera with the left-handed community, the cabinet decided to provide 6 per cent to the right-hand Dalit as well," said Siddarmaiah while addressing the house. The CM stated that the cabinet decided to divide what was recommended by Justice Das as to be classified as ABCDE to provide internal reservation, into Category A (least handed caste with 6 per cent), Category B (right-handed castes with 6 per cent) and Category C (with 5 per cent) reservation. Siddaramaiah stated that the categorisation made under ABC, 'has been made with a view to ensure equality and fairness in providing opportunities in education, employment and other matters related to the 101 caste amongst the SC". 'Along with this, we have decided to distribute the Adi Karnataka, Adi Andhra, and Adi Dravida groups equally with the left-handed and right-handed castes," he explained. While the one-man commission headed by Justice Das had recommended 4 per cent reservation to the SCs, and that the 5,22,099 population of 59 different castes were classified under the A category and then gave them 1 per cent reservation, the cabinet, due to some technical reason, made the decision to combine both these groups and allot 5 per cent reservation. 'While taking this decision, the cabinet has kept in mind the principles enshrined in the judgment of the honourable SC,' Siddaramaiah said. Addressing the house, the Karnataka CM also said that 'the government is committed to making any modifications in the decision taken, if any, based on the data of the next national census". 'The Madiga community, despite being large in number, was not getting its share of reservation proportionate to its population. Now they will. All communities will receive what is due to them. Nobody can take away the other's share. This is a welcome move and a big boost for the government itself," explained Indudhar. Back in October 2024, all government recruitments had been put on hold until sub-classification was settled based on the report to be submitted by the one-man commission. With the cabinet's decision done, the Karnataka government announced immediate implementation and said pending posts would now be filled. 'Recruitments must be implemented immediately. All appointments should be made quickly so that every community gets its rightful opportunity," added Indudhar. Inside the cabinet meeting When the issue was taken up for detailed discussion, social welfare principal secretary P Manivannan presented the report as a 'framework of social justice". He broke down the population figures region-wise to justify the allocations. Former minister H Anjaneya welcomed the move and said, 'We got 6%. We had asked for 7%, but I am happy with 6%. The CM gave what was possible. This will benefit many in our community." Law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil called the meeting 'fruitful", saying ministers from all SC communities were satisfied. Backward class development minister Shivaraj Tangadagi termed the decision 'historic", while sources indicated that a section of the most-backward and nomadic groups were still unhappy with the merger of categories. The report itself has not been made public. The move directly follows the Supreme Court's August 2022 ruling, delivered by a seven-judge bench headed by then-CJI DY Chandrachud, that permitted states to sub-classify SCs. The judgment overturned a 2004 verdict that had treated SCs as a homogenous group and barred internal divisions. The BJP, while cautious, stated that due credit should be given to the party, as it was under its rule that internal reservations were first pushed. Just ahead of the 2023 assembly elections, the previous BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai introduced internal reservations for SCs, allotting 6% to SC (Left), 5.5% to SC (Right), 4.5% to SC (Touchables), and 1% to SC (Others). The BJP government during its term had then set up the Justice AJ Sadashiva Commission. That commission had submitted its report in 2012, recommending internal reservations. The Sadashiva Commission had proposed classifying the 101 SC sub-castes into four categories—Right, Left, Touchables, and Others—to ensure fair distribution of quotas. But this move was seen as political and timed just before the elections as a way to woo Dalits in their favour. top videos View all State president BY Vijayendra reacted: 'The Siddaramaiah government has been discussing this for 2.5 years, but failed to find a solution. During the BJP regime, the SC quota was raised from 15% to 17% and the ST quota from 3% to 7%. What we implemented is only being continued." He said that 'no injustice should be done to any SC community" and urged the government to ensure no group is pushed into fresh protests over discrimination. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18's digital platform. She has previously worked with More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : BJP caste congress Dalit karnataka reservation Siddaramaiah view comments Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: August 20, 2025, 21:01 IST News politics With 'Left-Right' Karnataka Quota Combination, Siddaramaiah & Congress Seek 'Upper Hand' Against BJP Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Hans India
14 hours ago
- Hans India
Denied discussion over K'taka CM's 'internal reservation' remark, BJP legislators stage walkout
Bengaluru: The BJP legislators, led by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, staged a walkout from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, condemning Speaker U.T. Khader's decision not to allow a discussion on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement regarding the acceptance and implementation of the judicial commission report on internal reservation. Following Siddaramaiah's statement that the government had accepted the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission report, with certain modifications, and implemented its recommendations on the long-pending issue of internal reservation, Ashoka and other BJP leaders demanded a discussion. Speaker Khader, however, turned down the request, stating that there was no provision under the guidelines. Shortly afterward, Siddaramaiah rose from his seat to leave the House. Ashoka taunted him, alleging that the CM was trying to run away out of fear. Siddaramaiah retorted that in his 42 years of political life, he had never feared anyone. Khader clarified that the Chief Minister was only going to the Legislative Council. Former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan said that the internal reservation framework had originally been prepared by the previous BJP government and that the Congress was merely rehashing and presenting it again. Ashoka further maintained that the Speaker had allowed discussions on government statements on several earlier occasions. 'If the CM had courage, he should have stayed in the Assembly. Why did he run away? What new thing have they done regarding internal reservation? The Congress government appointed the Sadashiva Commission, but it was the BJP government that provided it with infrastructure. It is former CM and current BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai who is the real architect of internal reservation,' he stressed. He further alleged: 'This report is a mixture of everything. All oppressed communities are coming out on the streets and protesting.' BJP MLA and State General Secretary V. Sunil Kumar read out the guidelines and argued that the discussion could, in fact, be allowed. Khader responded that the guidelines clearly state that it is left to the discretion of the Speaker. Senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar said that the principle of natural justice should prevail. 'When the CM makes a statement, seeking clarification is only natural. Instead of participating in the interaction, Siddaramaiah chose to walk out of the Assembly like the leader of the opposition,' he remarked. Sunil Kumar added sarcastically that perhaps the criticism was too hard for the CM to digest. Ashoka said that the issue pertained to both Dalits and the state. 'The opposition has a constitutional right to discuss it. On what basis has the Congress government adopted the 6-6-5 formula for internal reservation? Should I tear up this copy of the statement? Under whose influence are you doing this?' he questioned Speaker Khader. Ashoka further remarked: 'I have seen ruling party MLAs sit in opposition four times. If Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar has won eight times, I have won seven. I know the tricks you played while in Opposition.' Responding, Deputy CM Shivakumar said: 'We have resolved an issue that was pending for 25 years. The Scheduled Caste community is happy. I appeal to you to also be happy.' Ashoka then jibed that after the exit of K.N. Rajanna (a close aide of CM Siddaramaiah and former minister) from the Cabinet, Shivakumar had become more active and vibrant. Speaker Khader noted that while the Opposition's demand for a discussion was valid, the government's refusal was also within its rights. He said the issue could be discussed the following morning, stressing that the Speaker's decision was final. Protesting this, Ashoka announced a walkout. Law Minister H.K. Patil accused the BJP of enacting a drama, adding that people across the state had welcomed the Congress government's decision on internal reservation and were celebrating it.
