Senior Congress leader and MLA Basavaraj Rayaraddi on Tuesday lashed out at veteran party leader and All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shamanuru Shivashankarappa for demanding postings of officials on the basis of caste.
Speaking to reporters here, former Minister Mr. Rayaraddi said MLAs can be made Ministers for providing representation to each caste/community as well as regional representation. But seeking postings of government officials on the basis of caste was totally unjustified and Mr. Shamanur was wrong in making such demands, he said.
Mr. Rayaraddi also condemned BJP leader and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddiyurappa’s statement supporting Mr. Shamanur on the alleged neglect of officials belonging to the Veerashaiva-Lingayats in the postings of the executive category. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not against the Lingayat community and Mr. Shamanur’s demand for postings of officials on the basis of caste was not a good sign for ensuring administrative efficiency, Mr. Rayareddi said.
Last week, 92-year-old Shivashankarappa, MLA, had set off speculation by stating that that bureaucrats from the Lingayat community have been getting a ‘raw deal’ in postings in the Congress government.
What Ministers said
Meanwhile, speaking in Mysuru, Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa and Minister for Backward Classes, Kannada and Culture Shivaraj Tangadagi also ruled out the possibility of the State government neglecting Lingayats.
Mr. Mahadevappa said the decisions on posting of officials are not taken on a caste basis. He said Mr. Shivashankarappa, who heads the All-India Veershaiva Mahasabha, may have received a complaint from somebody, who had not got a post they had sought.
