Panchamasali agitation committee to stage protest during winter session of Karnataka legislature in Belagavi over reservation

Wed Dec 04 05:03:59 UTC 2024: ## Panchamasali Community to Stage Major Protest in Belagavi

**Belagavi, Karnataka – December 4, 2024** – The Panchamasali community will hold a large-scale protest in Belagavi on December 10th, coinciding with the winter session of the Karnataka Assembly. The protest, announced by Sri Basava Jaya Mrityunjaya swamiji, honorary president of the Panchamasali reservation agitation committee, will take place in front of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

The community is demanding recategorization from the 3B to the 2A category within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) group, a demand they’ve pursued for over a decade. Swamiji stated that despite numerous assurances from past and present governments – including those led by B.S. Yediyurappa, Basavaraj Bommai, and Jagadish Shettar – their pleas have been ignored.

The protest is expected to draw thousands of participants, including over 5,000 tractors and numerous farmers. Swamiji emphasized the community’s unwavering commitment, stating that arrests would not deter them and holding the Karnataka government responsible for any resulting incidents. A pre-protest meeting is scheduled for December 7th in Belagavi to finalize protest plans. While some political leaders have declined to participate, Swamiji asserted that the community’s resolve remains strong.