Leaders cutting across party lines were present
In a show of strength to demand Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, members of the Kuruba community, including three Ministers in Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s Cabinet, took out a massive rally in the city on Sunday. Thousands of people from various districts took part in the rally held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre ground, off Tumakuru Road.
The rally, led by Niranjanandapuri Swami of Kaginele Gurupeetha, Eshwarananda Swami, and other seers, saw participation by leaders cutting across party lines. Ministers K.S. Eshwarappa, N. Nagaraju (MTB), and R. Shankar, former Ministers A.H. Vishwanath, H.M. Revanna, and Bandeppa Kashempur, and Kurubara ST Horata Samiti president K. Virupakashappa were among those present.
Leaders of the community urged the State government to recommend to the Centre inclusion of the Kuruba community in the ST list.
Sri Niranjanandapuri Swami said the rally had received overwhelming response from the community and the fight would continue till the governments meet the demand.
Mr. Vishwanath said the community met all the parameters to be considered as a Scheduled Tribe. Without taking his name, Mr. Vishwanath took a dig at the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah — a prominent leader of the community — for not taking part in the rally. As thousands thronged the rally onh buses and other vehicles, traffic was thrown out of gear on Tumakuru Road.
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