Latest news with #Kuruba
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kuruba community protests in Hubballi demanding reservation
Pic: Members of Pradesha Kuruba Samaja Okkuta staged a protest along with their livestock in Hubballi Hubballi: Members of the Pradesha Kuruba Samaja Okkuta staged a protest demanding reservation for the community at Mini Vidhana Soudha in Hubballi on Thursday. The community members marched in a protest rally, along with their sheep from Chennamma Circle to Mini Vidhana Soudha. President Siddanna Teji said that for the last four to five decades, there were struggles across the state for scheduled tribe reservation for the Kuruba community. After coming to power, chief minister Siddaramaiah sent information in the same way that the former chief minister Bommai govt gave wrong information. It was about one and a half years since the state govt received a letter from the central govt again asking the centre to provide correct information. After that, the govt should have discussed and resubmitted the correct information to the centre but failed. Therefore, we have decided to fight the Congress govt, which has been cheating the shepherds' community by not submitting it so far. He said that a struggle to boycott the zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections would be inevitable if the correct information is not sent to the centre. They submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the tahsildar. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Why must India recognise its open ecosystems?
The story so far: Deserts are often imagined as failures of nature, and barren wastelands in need of redemption. This worldview fuels grand ambitions to 'green' the desert, through afforestation, irrigation schemes, or even climate engineering. This gives way to the idea that deserts are broken ecosystems. So pervasive is this vilification, that land degradation is also known as 'desertification', and June 17 every year is celebrated as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Are deserts important? In truth, deserts are ancient, diverse, and resilient biomes, finely tuned to extremes. They occupy nearly one-third of the Earth's terrestrial surface, and are home to uniquely adapted plants, animals, and human cultures. It is ironic that humans disregard deserts, when several early civilisations were set in desert climates, whether in early Mesopotamia, Egypt, or the Indus valley. Indeed, some historians argue that it is these very harsh desert conditions that prompted humans to develop complex societies and technologies that could invent ingenious ways of irrigation to survive in otherwise inhospitable conditions. What about other open spaces? India's relationship with open spaces is full of contradictions. On the one hand, we fetishise them. Real estate ads routinely promise sweeping lawns with names like Savana or Utopia. But when it comes to the country's own vast open natural ecosystems such as grasslands, savannas, scrublands and open woodlands, we have done the opposite. These landscapes have been systematically ignored in policy or worse, actively erased. On official maps, millions of hectares of these ecosystems are classified as wastelands, a term inherited from colonial land-use categories. In policy terms, a wasteland is land waiting to be fixed, often by planting trees, converting it for agriculture or paving it over for industry. What should be protected and stewarded has instead become a target for transformation. India's deserts, grasslands and savannas are home to species found nowhere else: the Great Indian Bustard, the caracal, the Indian wolf etc. These ecosystems also store carbon, not in big trees above ground but rather, deep in the soil. Equally important are the communities dependent on them. Millions of pastoral groups such as the Dhangar, Rabari, Kuruba etc. depend on these ecosystems for grazing. When we fence off grasslands or plant 'forests' on them, it's not just ecology we damage but also livelihoods, mobility, and local knowledge systems. In many cases, pastoralist groups are also stewards of biodiversity and ecosystem health. However, Indian grasslands and pastoralist systems have not received the desired protection and management. What should be the road ahead? Rather than trying to turn deserts into forests, we should study how life thrives without abundance. This is not to say that land degradation should not be addressed. Reversing degradation in drylands requires careful restoration that respects native vegetation, focuses on soil and moisture conservation, and draws from indigenous knowledge of land management. Low-tech solutions like water harvesting, rotational grazing, and protecting natural regrowth often outperform greenwashing projects that aim to plant millions of trees to 'green' the desert. We need policies that recognise ecosystem diversity, reward soil carbon storage, and support pastoralist land use. A functioning desert or savanna, with its intricate food webs, seasonal rhythms, and cultural continuities, is far more alive than a failed monoculture plantation. Perhaps it is time to rename World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought to World Day to Combat Land Degradation, and give deserts their respectable name back. The authors are with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment.
The Print
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
How redoing Karnataka ‘caste census' weakens CM Siddaramaiah without strengthening Shivakumar
The 2015 Karnataka survey report was placed before the state cabinet this April but its findings have not yet been made public. The resurvey move was announced by Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal Tuesday after the party's top brass, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar in Delhi. Bengaluru: The Congress high command Tuesday said that though the report of the 2015 Karnataka 'caste census' had in principle been accepted, it asked the Siddaramaiah-led government to carry out a re-enumeration exercise to allay apprehensions of various communities and groups in the state. According to political analysts and observers, the Congress's resurvey move reflects the leadership's careful efforts to reconcile differing—and confrontational—viewpoints within Karnataka, effectively diverting attention from the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede and preventing the Centre from taking credit for initiating the 'caste census' exercise at the national level. 'They (Congress) cannot allow the BJP or NDA (at the Centre) to claim credit for the caste survey, including with regards to the upcoming Bihar elections. That is why the (party's) national leadership spoke about the caste census. The main thrust for the (national) caste census has come from (Bihar leaders) Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar,' Narendar Pani, a Bengaluru-based analyst and faculty at National Institute of Advanced Studies, told ThePrint. 'This (resurvey decision) gives the impression that the Congress is actually leading and the others are following.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said the Congress was turning the Constitution into a 'weapon' and 'medium of appeasement' for political gain. However, the PM's announcement of a national census that would include caste count in April has been interpreted by the Congress as a sign that the opposition successfully influenced the ruling party's position on this issue. The messaging for a national audience apart, the decision also has bearing in Karnataka and will possibly defuse some tensions between the CM and his deputy, analysts said. Statements by Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah on the subject indicate that both leaders are claiming some level of validation for their respective positions on the state survey, although the CM appears to have conceded some ground. While Shivakumar has previously sided with calls for scrapping the 2015 survey, the CM officially accepted the survey report. At a press meet following Tuesday's meeting, Siddaramaiah also announced the resurvey and acknowledged that the earlier survey's findings were more than 10 years old, in the process seemingly giving up any leverage he had to thwart attempts by Shivakumar, from the dominant Vokkaliga community, to replace him. The CM hails from the backward Kuruba community. Following this, Shivakumar stated on X: 'Caste census to be redone to dispel doubts over sanctity of data.' Also Read: Who are Panchamasali Lingayats & why they're so important in Karnataka politics 'Door-to-door survey again' In 2015, during Siddaramaiah's first stint as CM, he had commissioned the 'socio-economic and educational survey' in Karnataka, which had 55 questions and cost over Rs 180 crore to complete. It is a widely held belief that Siddaramaiah commissioned the 'caste census' in 2015 to challenge the perceived dominance of communities like Vokkaligas and Lingayats. Despite lacking definitive empirical evidence, these two groups have often been considered the largest in the state and hold significant influence among political parties, the government and broader society. According to analysts, the two groups have been vehemently seeking the scrapping of the 2015 survey report as its findings could potentially weaken their established hold over both politics and society. The Siddaramaiah government will iron out the details on how it will carry out the re-enumeration in a cabinet meeting Thursday, although there are many unanswered questions over how it would conduct a re-survey that would not completely alter the findings of the existing caste census in the state. The re-survey and report are set to be completed within 60-90 days. 'Data will be collected once again through door-to-door and online surveys. The entire process would be done in a very transparent manner,' Shivakumar said. This would also give the Vokkaligas, Lingayats and other aggrieved communities time to mobilise people and make a case for consolidation to retain their dominance, rather than further fragmentation that brings down their population numbers and lobbying powers. The deputy CM is a Vokkaliga and has sided with the community against Siddaramaiah and the government's stand. Ministers from the Lingayat community, like M.B. Patil, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, S.S. Mallikarjun and Eshwar Khandre, too, have opposed the government's decision to release the findings of the 2015 report. On the other hand, traditionally oppressed communities, who form the backbone of Siddaramaiah's core political constituency, have urged the CM to release the caste survey findings. Siddaramaiah's support base had also begun to target Shivakumar whenever the latter broached upon the unwritten agreement that he would replace the former halfway through the term of the Congress government in Karnataka. The Siddaramaiah camp had further complicated matters for the party by promoting a narrative that replacing a CM from a backward class with Shivakumar, who belongs to a dominant community, could be politically unfavourable. According to A. Narayana, a political analyst and faculty member at Azim Premji University, Siddaramaiah appears to be leveraging a perceived increase in resentment among Dalits to argue that oppressed communities should have the opportunity to claim the CM's position after him, rather than passing it on to Shivakumar. 'Ground for negotiation' According to the findings of the survey, the total population of Vokkaligas in Karnataka is 61.6 lakh or 10.3 percent. Lingayats are 66.3 lakh or 11 percent of the total population. These numbers are much lower than previous estimates—14 percent and 17 percent of the total population, respectively. According to the government, a total of 5.98 crore people or 94.17 percent of the state's population were asked 55 questions on various parameters for the survey. Though the Congress under Siddaramaiah has relied more on AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) for support, the party has individual leaders who enjoy caste-based support in certain constituencies. 'For the party to put up a strong fight in the next elections, Shivakumar is necessary. It may not be so much in terms of caste but more in terms of his ability to mobilise funds. The reading of some of the Vokkaliga ministers and leaders in the Congress is that if Shivakumar is alienated, it will be difficult for them to win in their own Vokkaliga-dominated constituencies,' Narayana told ThePrint. He added that Shivakumar has tried to project himself as a leader of the Vokkaligas, which has not helped him loosen the grip of the Janata Dal (Secular) over the community. But any attempts to sideline Shivakumar would result in the community not backing the party entirely, piling up the challenges for the Congress in 2028. The analysts believe the Karnataka government will go ahead with the state resurvey since there is no clarity on the qualitative aspects of the Centre's proposed national caste survey nor a fixed timeline for when it will be conducted. Pani said Siddaramaiah was formulating a strategy to capitalise on fragmented sub-caste groups. Though the Lingayats are a force to reckon with, the community has many sub-sects which identify themselves under other categories of backward classes than the social umbrella of the caste group. According to Pani, the Congress will use the caste census to control the narrative. 'The whole purpose will be reservation but the question is whether he (CM) will actually go through and fix it (caste survey), or just keep the ground open for further negotiations till 2028,' he said. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Quota shake-up, sub caste maths & Muslim numbers, why Karnataka caste survey has Siddaramaiah in a bind
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Memorial for former Rajya Sabha member Kollur Mallappa in Yadgir to be fulfilled soon
With the State Cabinet taking a decision, the long-pending demand of the people of Yadgir district to have a memorial for veteran leader and former Rajya Sabha member Kollur Mallappa will soon be fulfilled. On earlier occasions, veteran politician and Rajya Sabha MP M. Mallikarjun Kharge, who has great admiration for Mallappa for his selfless service to the people over several decades, had appealed to the Chief Minister to build a memorial for Mallappa. However, the proposed memorial work was somehow delayed. Meanwhile, Minister for Small Scale Industries and district in-charge Sharanabasappa Darshanapur met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and requested him to grant the required land free for the purpose. The Chief Minister, who earmarked ₹2 crore for the memorial, showed concern over building the memorial for the late politician during the recent Cabinet meeting and sanctioned 2.17 acres of land free as requested by Mr. Darshanapur. Mallappa was born to a Kuruba (Halumatha) community family in 1905 in Pogalapur village in Yadgir taluk. He developed patriotism from his childhood and met Mahatma Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram in 1934. He was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and joined the Congress then. He also participated in the freedom movement against British rule and came in contact with Jawaharlal Nehru during Congress meeting at Mumbai in 1942 as he was the only politician from the Hyderabad Karnataka region to take part in that conference. He was known in the region for his fearless fight against Hyderabad Nizams and for that reason, he was jailed. After Independence, Mallappa was elected as a legislator from the Surpur Assembly Constituency in Kalaburagi district to the Hyderabad State Assembly in 1952. He was again elected from the Sedam Assembly Constituency to the Mysore State Assembly in 1957, after reorganisation of States. Mallappa shifted to Central politics after the former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi got him elected to the Rajya Sabha. He, then, was elected thrice in 1968, 1974 and 1984. He was associated with many prominent Congress leaders of that era. Some of his followers say that Mallappa respectfully refused an offer given by Indira Gandhi to become Chief Minister of the State. Mallappa died in 2004, after a prolonged illness. The people of Yadgir district have expressed gratitude to the State government, especially Mr. Siddaramaiah, for respecting the Hyderabad-Karnataka Gandhi by building a memorial for Mallappa. Mr. Darshanapur, who wrote a letter to the Chief Minister and put pressure on the government to get sanctioned the required land for the memorial, has expressed his gratitude too. 'I will personally supervise the building of a memorial to make it a significant landmark in the district. I will take a delegation to meet the Chief Minister for an additional grant, if required, for the construction of a memorial,' the Minister added. Meanwhile, MLA Channareddy Patil Tunnur has thanked Mr. Siddaramaiah for his concern to building a memorial for Mallappa. 'His selfless service to the people is unparalleled. He remains a model for all politicians,' Mr. Tunnur said.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
MBC leaders slam new quota, caste inaccuracies in Karnataka census
BENGALURU: Karnataka's More and Most Backward Caste (MBCs) leaders came together under the leadership of actor-activist Chetan Ahimsa on Thursday, to criticise the Backward Classes Commission, and denounce what they said was 'betrayal of social justice.' Terming the newly-introduced 1B reservation category 'unscientific, unjust, and politically motivated', speakers accused the Commission of bypassing academic and employment data and educational statistics to fabricate the category for political convenience. 'This is not social justice,' declared one speaker. MBC nomadic communities demanded their own scientific subclassification. Actor Chetan Ahimsa said that while the Karnataka Socio-Economic & Educational Survey (SES-2015) was billed as a tool for social justice, it is looking more like caste manipulation. Ahimsa pointed to the sudden formation of 1B category in April 2025, which grants 12 per cent reservation to 80 castes, including the Kuruba community, to which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah belongs. He questioned why castes previously under Groups 1 and 2A were reshuffled, and communities like Kurubas (formerly 2A) were placed with some of the state's most vulnerable, such as Devadasis and Hallaki Vokkaligas. 'The math doesn't add up,' he said. '1B has a population of 73.9 lakh, smaller than 2A's 77.7 lakh, yet gets 2 per cent more reservation. What justifies this?'
