Madiga organisations demand Social Welfare portfolio for K.H. Muniyappa

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Members of various Madiga organisations staging a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi on Thursday demanding that senior Congress leader K.H. Muniyappa be given the Social Welfare Ministry. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Demanding greater representation for the Madiga community in the State Cabinet, a federation of various Madiga organisations took out a protest march in Kalaburagi on Friday and urged the Congress government to appoint senior leader K.H. Muniyappa as the Minister for Social Welfare.

The protesters, carrying banners and raising slogans, marched through the city and submitted their demand to the State government.

They argued that Mr. Muniyappa, a seven-time Member of Parliament, two-time Union Minister and a senior Congress leader, possessed the experience and administrative credentials required to head the Social Welfare Department.

Addressing the gathering, leaders of the federation said that the Madiga community, despite being one of the largest Scheduled Castes groups in Karnataka, has not received adequate representation in the Cabinet.

They said that while several other communities have secured multiple Ministerial berths, the Madiga community has been allotted only one Cabinet position.

The speakers said that the State government frequently spoke of equitable representation and social justice based on the ideals of the Constitution and B.R. Ambedkar and contended that these principles should be reflected in the allocation of Ministerial portfolios as well.

The federation urged Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to consider appointing Mr. Muniyappa as Social Welfare Minister and warned that the community will intensify its agitation if its demand continues to be ignored.

District president of Madara Channayya Seva Samiti Dasarath Kalagurti, district president of the Babu Jagjivan Ram Development Struggle Committee Mallikarjun Jinnakeri, city president of Madiga Dandora Raju S. Kattimani, divisional president of the Karnataka S