Tribal Coalition Demands Internal Quotas Amid State's Plan to Formalize SC Reservations
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A powerful coalition of tribal organizations has called for the establishment of a dedicated commission to ensure meaningful representation of the state's 49 tribal communities. The move comes as the state government prepares to introduce legislation formalizing internal reservations within Scheduled Castes (SCs). Despite having 15 assembly and 3 Lok Sabha constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs), the state's tribal communities remain economically, socially, and politically marginalized. Former Backward Classes Commission chairman CS Dwarkanath attributed this to internal divisions and a lack of leadership within these communities. He also expressed concern over the misuse of tribal caste certificates by individuals from urban areas. Dwarkanath emphasized the need for internal reservations to ensure benefits reach those genuinely entitled to them. The proposal was met with agreement from representatives of various tribal organizations, including the Karnataka Nomadic Hawker Tribe Protection Committee and the Karnataka State Nomadic Tribe Mahasabha. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government is under pressure to act on long-pending demands from Dalit Left organizations. In response, the government is set to introduce The Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-classification) Bill, 2025 in the upcoming winter session of the legislature. The Bill aims to provide legal backing for internal reservation among 101 Scheduled Castes, divided into three groups.
