The Lingayat Panchamasali community, which suspended agitation plans over the demand for its inclusion under 2A category following an assurance from the Chief Minister, has reiterated that it will be forced to resume the agitation, if the demand is not met.
Addressing presspersons in Dharwad on Thursday, seer of Kudalasangama Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami announced that the community will relaunch the agitation if the promise is not fulfilled.
The seer said that to mark the first anniversary of the padayatra from Kudalasangama to Bengaluru by the Panchamasali community, a mega convention will be held at Kudalasangama on January 14. It might be recalled that hundreds of people had taken part in the padayatra led by the seer, which was suspended after an announcement by the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa about referring the matter to the Backward Classes Commission.
He said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be participating in the mega convention. “The convention is aimed at showcasing the strength of the community and to further highlight the demand for inclusion under 2A category of the backward classes,” he added.
The seer, who expressed the confidence over the State Government deciding in favour of the community, said: “It will not be a surprise if the Chief Minister chooses to announce a decision about meeting our demand at the convention.”
While the community is confident of the government fulfilling its long-pending demand, it will keep the agitation alive to remind the government about its promise on the issue, the seer said.
