HOSAPETE: AICC president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday voiced strong opposition to the inclusion of the Beda Jangama community under the Scheduled Castes (SC) category, warning that it could undermine the rights and representation of historically oppressed SC communities. Addressing a public meeting in Hosapete as part of the Congress government’s two-year anniversary celebrations in Karnataka, Kharge questioned the move, pointing to the sudden spike in the community’s population figures. “The process of internal reservation within the SC category has begun — I am not against it. Let it go ahead. But the move to include the Beda Jangama community in the SC list raises serious concerns,” Kharge said, making the remarks in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. “We are not opposed to providing benefits to economically weaker sections among the Lingayat community. Let us support them. But including Beda Jangama community in the scheduled Caste list will directly affect the rights of SCs,” he said. Noticing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not on the dais, Kharge briefly switched to English to address his concerns directly to Rahul Gandhi, underlining the seriousness of the matter. “This is unfair,” he asserted. “If Beda Jangama are included in the SC list it would go against the untouchable Scheduled Caste. There were only around 500 Beda Jangamas in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region earlier. Today that number has suddenly shot up to 4–5 lakh. Where did they come from? Are fake SC certificates being issued? If so, those responsible must be identified and arrested.” He warned that such moves would set a dangerous precedent and lead to the systematic erosion of constitutionally guaranteed rights for SCs. The veteran leader’s remarks come amid an ongoing move in Karnataka over internal reservations among SCs. Turning to the issue of the caste census, Kharge claimed it was Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s pressure that forced the BJP-led central government to include caste-based enumeration in the upcoming national census. “When Rahul Gandhi first raised the demand for a caste census, he was mocked. Now, the Union Cabinet has agreed to include a caste survey in the next census by including a separate column for Backward Class. This is a result of Congress party’s fight, Rahul Gandhi’s fight,” he said. He also advised the Karnataka government to handle the census with caution. “Siddaramaiah is here, and all cabinet members are here. I want to say that the caste census must be conducted properly in the state, and care should be taken to ensure that Rahul Gandhi’s name is not maligned. If anyone tries to take credit for it, it could create problems for the state,” he cautioned, suggesting and warning that the party leaders in the state not try to take credit for the caste census.
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