Govt’s sub-quota will be a tribute to Devaraj Urs: Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar described the Congress government’s recent decision on sub-reservation within the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as a “historic step ensuring equality among all communities” and as a true tribute to former Chief Minister Devaraj Urs.

Speaking at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office after paying floral tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former CM Devaraj Urs on their birth anniversaries, Shivakumar said, “Our government has made a decision that brings justice to all factions of the SC community. Both Left and Right factions have accepted the decision with satisfaction. This is an unprecedented move in Karnataka’s history, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will announce it in the Assembly.

No government since 1989 has taken such a unanimous decision that satisfies all sections like ours.”

He recalled that the Sadashiva Commission was formed 25 years ago, and the present government has now given shape to its recommendations after much deliberation. Shivakumar praised Devaraj Urs as a transformative leader who nurtured young political talents such as Ramesh Kumar, T.B. Jayachandra, H. Vishwanath, and Mallikarjun Kharge, whom Urs made a minister at a young age. “Just as Indira Gandhi was a strong leader for India, Devaraj Urs was a strong pillar for Karnataka. His land reforms gave lakhs of poor people a livelihood. His vision of social justice still lives on,” he said.

He emphasised that while Indira Gandhi introduced schemes such as old-age pensions for the underprivileged, no such reforms were brought by BJP or other parties, calling social justice “the strength of the Congress Party.”

The Deputy CM also revealed that as per Rahul Gandhi’s direction, the Congress will soon establish legal banks in every constituency, similar to how hospitals have blood banks. “During a recent AICC Human Rights and Legal Cell seminar in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi stressed the need for legal banks in every constituency to fight against electoral malpractices. Following his guidance, I have directed that within the next six months, such legal banks be formed across all 224 constituencies in Karnataka.”

Shivakumar underlined that true leadership comes from strengthening the party at the booth level. “A leader cannot just be a one-man show. If you cannot lead at the booth level, you cannot be considered a leader. Only those who can mobilize and strengthen the party at the grassroots will be accepted as leaders,” he asserted.

He also announced that the backward classes census will commence shortly. “Once the enumeration is done, communities should ensure their names are correctly included in the lists. Later, when you demand your rightful share, no one can deny it,” Shivakumar said, urging block Congress presidents, MLAs, and leaders to take the responsibility seriously.