The Panchamasali community, a prominent Lingayat sub-sect in Karnataka, is preparing to launch a renewed agitation starting on September 10 over their unfulfilled demand of getting included in the 2A reservation category, which guarantees a 15% quota in government jobs and education, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The decision to recommence the protest was announced during a meeting led by Jaya Mruthyunjaya, the seer of Kudalasangama Mutt, held on Wednesday in Bailhongal of Belgavi district.

“We will start our agitation from Nippani on September 10, demanding reservation under the 2A category. After the public meeting, we will march on National Highway number 48 [NH-48]. Before that, the government should take note of our demands and act on them,” the seer said.

The reservation issue has been a contentious topic, particularly during the Karnataka Assembly elections, earlier this year. Over the past three years, the Panchamasali community has consistently intensified its plea for a recognition under the 2A category.

In January 2023, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government initially abolished the 3A and 3B categories, which previously encompassed Vokkaligas and Panchamasalis.

These two prominent castes were subsequently reclassified under 2C and 2D, with no alterations in the reservation framework.

However, dissatisfied with this arrangement, the Panchamasalis continued to exert pressure on the government. Just prior to the announcement of election dates in March, the then BJP government withdrew reservation benefits for Muslims under the 2B category, which accounted for 4% of reservations and was evenly distributed between Vokkaligas and Lingayats.

Consequently, Vokkaligas’ reservations increased from 4% to 6%, while Panchamasalis saw their share rise from 5% to 7%. The Panchamasali community had halted their protests ahead of the elections, but they have now resorted to reignite their agitation.

However, the Congress had promised to reinstate reservation benefits for Muslims. This promise is yet to be fulfilled by the government. Should the Congress government opt to restore reservations for Muslims, it would necessitate the retraction of the additional 2% quota allocated to Vokkaligas and Lingayats, said officials familiar with the development.

Addressing a meeting of the Panchamsali community, the seer of Kudalasangam Panchamsalis Peeta emphasised that the second phase of the protest would commence in all the districts of the state by conducting a pooja to the Istalinga from September 10.

The pontiff said that the community’s movement is not only restricted to obtaining 2A reservations but also to urge the Union government to include the community in the OBC category.

Thousands of Panchamsalis are expected to gather for a public meeting at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj auditorium at 10 am on that day and later proceed to the national highway, he said.

The seer stressed that the government must make a concrete decision regarding providing 2A reservations before September 10 or else a massive public meeting of the community will be held at Kudalasangam Mutt.

He also mentioned that he and the community elders will tour neighbouring Athani, Kagwad, Raibag, and Chikkodi taluks to appeal to the community members to join the planned movements.

The seer added that despite numerous representations and meetings with the last government, the community was not given the attention it deserved.

The massive public meetings of the community to meet their demands also did not yield the desired results, that is why the second phase of the movement is being taken up.

“We hope the current state government will consider our demand,” he said.

The situation has also seen legal action in January, when a division bench led by chief justice PB Varale stayed the new categories from being introduced and instructed the previous BJP government to maintain status quo in the matter of OBC reservations. The court’s decision came during the hearing of a PIL (public interest litigation) by Raghavendra DG challenging the creation of the new categories.

The Panchamasali Lingayat community is resolute in their demand to be included in category 2A (15%) of the OBC reservation matrix.