- 4 minutes ago
Karnataka Minister Santosh Lad and Deputy Leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad sparred over OBC representation, reservation and caste data at the India Today Conclave South 2026. Lad said political representation must go beyond having an OBC Prime Minister or Chief Minister, while Bellad called reservation a tool to empower communities.
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00:00In fact, this hug you saw is quite normal to Karnataka politics.
00:05He is the minister from Congress government.
00:07He is the opposition deputy leader from BJP.
00:10Both of them are from Dharwa district in Karnataka, northern part of Karnataka.
00:14Both came here, hugged and said good luck to each other.
00:18And that's how Karnataka politics works.
00:20It's very unique to Karnataka.
00:22So it's great that you both are friends, firstly.
00:25But let's kickstart the session.
00:27In fact, let me start with you, Mr. Lad.
00:30The session is on, should population dictate social justice architecture?
00:34Because both Congress and BJP today are talking about OBCs, Dalit, and everyone backward.
00:42Why is it that population should dictate social justice?
00:45Do you agree with it?
00:46Opening remarks.
00:47I really, I do agree because some sort of reservation is very important.
00:54You may disagree to it.
00:55The reason is, the reason is I come from a Thaluka place where it's one of the most backward one.
01:01I come from a very strong mining area from Sandor Balad district.
01:05Now I'm representing the Kalgatki.
01:07So if you look at from Devadasi Padati to Kokibain, all this Lesi Padati, that's where I came from.
01:14So today, if at all, we are talking about, yes, OBC reservation, there is a reason to it.
01:19If you allow me to explain in a little bit in quick time is, yes.
01:22If you see from the inception from 1882, when the great Jyotipa Pule started asking the Hunter Commission to see
01:31to that the backward classes will be given a chance into the education.
01:34It started from 1882.
01:35In 83, perhaps, it's the Sahaja Rao, Gayakwad Maharaj, who brought this system for education for the upperist classes.
01:42Likewise, it came with the Shahu Maharaj.
01:45And later on, you know, the Americans have brought it to the Constitution.
01:49So, apart from when we are speaking to the OBC especially, one Mr. Channaya Saab in Mysore, Aston, especially, we
01:58cannot forget being from Karnataka, Krishna Raj Wadiar.
02:01He was a person who brought this system for OBCs into the reservation.
02:06Why this is mandated today?
02:08Yes, anyway, we have got ACST people, they have got reservation.
02:11OBC constitutes around about 55 to 60 percent of this population in this country.
02:16So, today, how much ever you say people talk of merit and all those things, I also believe that there
02:22has to be merit, when there is no opportunity to them.
02:25For example, if at all, if I have to give an example, if 100 people are there in a village,
02:31assumingly, and all 100 people have got 5 acres of land,
02:34and there are 5,000 of people in the same village, where only 5 percent of people have got 5
02:39acres of land,
02:40how do they match their economical growth?
02:43So, this is the question today.
02:45If you see OBC in India, today we are around about 55 to 60 percent nearly.
02:49Their representation in assembly and parliament is a big challenge today.
02:53The reason is they are not able to combat the bigger people.
02:56So, bigger people is money-wise and the caste-wise.
02:59Why I said OBC is a backward class?
03:02Backwardness is because of the caste which they came from earlier today.
03:05And from the inception of the early days, they don't own the land.
03:09The biggest problem is they don't own the land and neither they own the entrepreneurship.
03:13Such people, if you go today and see, even if you make a survey,
03:16those are the OBC classes which need to be heard in the assembly and as well as the parliament.
03:20Because if those voices are not heard in assembly and parliament, perhaps I feel that's an injustice.
03:26In fact, you spoke about OBC members not having representation in assembly and parliament.
03:32I'll take this to Mr. Bellad also.
03:34Mr. Bellad, in fact, Karnataka longest-serving chief minister is Siddharamaya who belongs to the OBC class.
03:39So, Mr. Ladd is saying that they never had representation but you have the longest-serving
03:43chief minister, Siddharamaya being OBC.
03:46And the second longest, Devrajars, also was an OBC.
03:49So, do you believe that the fact that OBCs are being underrepresented?
03:55See, this discussion about OBC reservation, what we are doing now, it is nothing new.
04:01Like, right after inception, when the constitutional assembly was formed, this discussion took place.
04:09Under Sardar Wallabai Patel, there was a committee was formed.
04:14And whether the OBC reservation should be connected to the population.
04:19That was one of the major topics on which they deliberated.
04:24And, of course, the ACST reservation and the minority reservation.
04:28So, subsequently, the post that entire very detailed discussion, whatever that committee, subcommittee
04:34had, where Mr. Nehru was also a member, and then members from different community, OBC,
04:41SC, STs, and Muslims and Christians, all of them were members of that committee.
04:47They all came to a conclusion that the ACSA reservation should be connected to the population.
04:54Whereas, OBCs, the reservation is required for OBCs, but they did not talk about connecting
05:02it to the population.
05:04They said it should be left to the commission.
05:07The commission should be formed.
05:09Who is OBC?
05:10Even that was discussed.
05:12That who is OBC, they said, okay, we cannot decide and define who are OBCs.
05:18That should, a commission should be formed time and again.
05:21And commission should decide who are OBCs and what is the percentage of reservation required
05:27for them.
05:28So, deliberately, they said that it should not be connected to the percentage of population
05:34then.
05:35But, having said that, I think we should be open to all these discussions.
05:41And we should look at it time and again.
05:45Mr. Ladd, when you speak of OBC reservation, the question also comes back to Congress government
05:50that you have done the caste census.
05:52If OBCs are a large number in the state of Karnataka, why is it the government being hesitant
05:57to release it?
05:58In fact, in 2014 also you had one census.
06:01Now a new census has been done with Sidra Maya.
06:03Why is your government not putting out the data to the public so that, is this also because
06:08of electoral politics?
06:09You know that Lingayas and Vokaligas are the backbone of any party in Karnataka.
06:13They are the deciding factor.
06:15So, why is it the Karnataka government not putting out the OBC numbers?
06:18Anyway, as far as the census is concerned, we are in the last league now.
06:22Maybe in due course of time as you are discussing, maybe in month or few months, this census would
06:27be definitely coming out.
06:28So, coming back to the point, what we said, whether OBCs should be given chance or not,
06:33there are more than 3,743 small communities of OBCs.
06:38As Mr. Arvind was speaking about, it started in 1953, the Kelkar Committee to Mandal Commission,
06:47that 27% of reservation is given to the people for only in education and as well as in employment.
06:51The question is, in Gram Panchay, Taluk Panchay, Jilla Panchay, we are given number 32, 33% in Karnataka.
06:57So, why not the same people to be given chance in assembly and parliament?
07:01The reason is, if you today, to the whole of India today, OBCs representation in any central government
07:07or state government, in the education systems, are very, very weak.
07:11The 60% of people who contribute for the entire growth, because I am a Labour Minister,
07:1793% in this country is unorganised sector.
07:21When 93% in this country is unorganised sector, please believe me, out of which majority is 70-80%
07:28is OBC class only.
07:30So, the reason is today, they are not into entrepreneurship.
07:33They don't have voices in the media, neither in the judiciary, neither in the parliament,
07:37neither in the assembly, neither in the entrepreneurship.
07:39The reason is, if you are given somebody a Ferrari, you know, people talk 100 things today,
07:44please believe me, if a person is given in a Ferrari and somebody is given a cycle to race,
07:48it's not going to happen.
07:50So, if in this country, people may talk 100 things, in this country, if a boy or a girl is
07:56born in very poor family conditions,
07:57where there is no privilege, will she be able to come to the class of the privileged class?
08:03No.
08:03That's why reservation is not a placement, is not an appeasement.
08:08Reservation is a right, and reservation is a representation, it's not a charity.
08:11So, when people, we talk about reservation for OBC classes, if you go today, deep dive today,
08:18that's what mostly Arvind Beled may agree to us, that's what we have brought in N-FRECLE data in the
08:24government of Karnataka,
08:25for the entire Karnataka, out of which the socio-economic study has been done.
08:30Once data is available, I think based on that, there should be a debate national-wide.
08:35That's what recently in the public forum I said, that OBC people who are there,
08:4060% of OBCs in this country don't have voices in Assembly and Parliament.
08:46As of now in the constitution, we only have Dalit reservation, Mr. Beled, for Assembly and Parliament.
08:51No one's stopping OBCs to contest in your constituency, in his constituency, in anyone's constituency.
08:55Why do you need a separate reservation for OBCs, then what would the other ones go?
09:01For example, 224 constituencies in Karnataka, you already have 40 odd for SC and STs.
09:05If you have another 60s dedicated for the OBCs, what would the other communities do?
09:09The parties need to take a cognizant call that, yes, in maybe in Dharwar district,
09:14we'll give four OBCs, in Dhavankere three.
09:16Why is that not happening?
09:17How do you see this in terms of politics?
09:20Is it only because of vote bank that the parties are unable to break this barrier?
09:26See, any reservation is a tool.
09:29It is not the end result.
09:33Reservation as a tool we should use and empower the people.
09:37That is very important.
09:39Look, if you look at the country as a whole, like it is the Bharatiya Janta Party has given
09:45an OBC chief prime minister.
09:47The longest serving prime minister of India is Mr. Narendra Modi and he is an OBC.
09:52So, like, in our state, as you yourself mentioned, Mr. Devaraj Arasu and Mr. Sidramaya,
10:02two biggest longest serving chief ministers of Karnataka were from OBC community.
10:09And if you look at Karnataka, actually, current reservation policy, I am a Lingayat.
10:17We are a land-holding community of Karnataka.
10:20We come in OBC.
10:23Santosh, Santosh lad, he is a ruling community.
10:26They used to rule Karnataka.
10:28Shivaji's clan.
10:31And they are also under OBC.
10:33So, the OBC per se, that doesn't say anything.
10:39Like, okay, we need a reservation for OBC, there is no doubt about it.
10:43But what have we achieved in educationally, economically, entrepreneurially?
10:50These are the things which we need to study and revisit it again and again.
10:55And we had four commissions.
10:59In the center, we had Mr. Nehru under the pressure of Mr. Ambedkar.
11:04He appointed Kaka Kalkar committee.
11:08But that report was never implemented.
11:11Then, subsequently, for 25 years, from 1953 to 1977, nothing was done.
11:20Mr. Nehru and Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Lala Badu Shastri, nothing was done.
11:25Then, when Mr. Muraji Desai, with the support of BJP, Jansang then, became the prime minister,
11:33they appointed the Mandal Commission.
11:36And again, Mandal Commission gave the report in 1980.
11:39Indira Gandhi became prime minister in 1980 to 1984.
11:43Then, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi became prime minister.
11:46Nothing was implemented.
11:47Then, only when Mr. V.P. Singh came as a prime minister, with the support of BJP, again, Mandal
11:54Commission was implemented.
11:56So, the reservation is required.
11:59But our constitutional stand is, okay, it should not be connected to the population.
12:05It's a fair point.
12:06Your party leader, starting from Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Nehru, never agreed to any of
12:11such reservation for the caste and also for the caste census.
12:15Of late, your leader, Rahul Gandhi, has started speaking for the OBCs and targets the BJP.
12:19He's saying, look, my prime minister is the OBC.
12:21The biggest representation for OBCs is the highest chair in the country.
12:25Why is that the Congress has now woken up suddenly about the OBCs?
12:28See, somebody represents one community does not mean that everybody will get an opportunity
12:32in assembly and parliament.
12:34If Shidramaya Sahib is an OBC, there are in Karnataka, around about 802 small communities
12:38in OBCs.
12:39I'm talking about in general to everybody.
12:41If Modi Sahib is an OBC, it doesn't mean that he's going to represent the entire 3,447
12:46communities.
12:46So, coming back, he started a little bit talking about the history.
12:50So, when we started in this country, we didn't have even a Hawaii chapel, when Mr. Nehru
12:55Sahib started.
12:56When Indira Gandhi was there, they were in the doldrums in the state.
12:59So, from there, we have traveled till 2014.
13:01We have traveled too much.
13:02We have brought a lot of legislation also.
13:04Yes.
13:05When OBC, the whole commission was started by Mr. Nehru Sahib only.
13:08The Hindu court bill itself was implemented by Mr. Nehru only, even though it was Mr.
13:13Ambedkar Sahib resigned.
13:14But there was issues of implementing such things because people outside the party, inside the party,
13:19there was always for and against things.
13:22But your party was against, Rajiv Gandhi was also against accepting the caste census.
13:25He was not against.
13:27He said on the floor of the house, even Mr. Advani also spoke the same thing.
13:30Even though when he said the VPC government was there, we were having 197 parliament seats.
13:35BJP was around about 85 and all Janata Pari were together, they were 143.
13:39So, I'll explain to them later on what happened.
13:41Even though we did not implement it, but we were always for it.
13:45Even in Indira Gandhi period, it was discussed.
13:46It was not implemented, but it was a Nehru's child brain only, which came.
13:51If you see between Kelkar committee and the Mandal commission, there is no much differences.
13:55If you see the Kelkar committee had much more implementation.
13:58He said that 70% of OBC should be given a chance in the technical courses.
14:0370% of OBC should be given in hostels.
14:06That's all.
14:06Anyway, going back there does not really take us anywhere.
14:09So, if I have to say that the Rathayatra was started against the OBC only.
14:13So, this is all political things.
14:15How much are we speak?
14:16We are not going to score anything much.
14:17But coming back here.
14:19Is this reservation required or not is the point.
14:22He is partially adhering to it.
14:23I am very affirmatively very strong.
14:25If such people are not given chance.
14:27Now, let us talk.
14:28People speak about merit.
14:30Isn't it?
14:31Oh, when OBC are given or ACST are given merit.
14:34Okay.
14:34Let's assume that because there are so many people around here.
14:37Where is the merit in this world?
14:38The countries which speak about the humanity.
14:41The countries we speak about, you know, about being non-violent and violent.
14:45They are the countries who are manufacturing the arms and ammunitions.
14:48And they are giving to the third world.
14:50So, merit is only a word to be spoken whenever you speak about reservation.
14:54Where am I coming from if the entire country is run by whom?
14:58The judiciary is run by the people who are married.
15:00The politicians are run by the married people.
15:02The bureaucracy.
15:03The judiciary.
15:04The entrepreneurship.
15:05Today, where are we?
15:06Why these people are not there today?
15:09Even if you see in whichever nook and corner of the state of the country you go.
15:12The poor people, you feel that they are really doing well for themselves?
15:16You feel there is an opportunity as what we have got opportunity for others?
15:20It's not there.
15:20Because 1% of this Indian population has got 50% of wealth in this country.
15:26Mr. Vela, Congress seems to have woken up since last 3-4 years when Rahul Gandhi is speaking
15:30on the OBC issue and targeting specifically your central government and BJP party that you
15:35are anti-OBC.
15:36Where is the representation in bureaucracy?
15:38In fact, Rahul Gandhi went on in the floor of the House in Parliament, talking to the government,
15:43saying, give me the data, how many bureaucrats in your government are from the OBC clan?
15:47You are saying your party supported back then in the 80s and the 90s on this reservation.
15:51But why is this new affection of the Congress, do you think, for OBCs?
15:56See, it is very surprising Mr. Rahul Gandhi has suddenly woken up.
16:01See, when they were in power, 1982-84, Indira Gandhi was in power, as I said.
16:07We had a Mandal Commission report.
16:09And subsequently Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.
16:12They never went ahead and implemented the Mandal Commission.
16:15It is our government with J.D. and Jantadar, which implemented Mandal Commission.
16:21Even in our state, the state of Karnataka, whether it was Venkatswami Ayog or Avnur Ayog
16:27or Mr. Reddy's Ayog, like they all spoke about the OBC population being around 42-42%.
16:37But all these commissions, they suggested a reservation of 32%, 38% and all.
16:45Congress was in power.
16:47Recently they again had one more commission set up for this.
16:51Our OBC commission gave a report.
16:53That also they have not accepted.
16:55See, talking is something.
16:56See, our current prime minister is an OBC prime minister.
17:00Can Congress say that the next prime minister will not be Rahul Gandhi and he'll be an OBC?
17:05Can the Congress say there'll be an OBC prime minister ever?
17:08That's what I've been telling you.
17:10Mr. Modi Saab does not represent the 3,743 communities.
17:15He's one among the OBCs.
17:17That's what it doesn't matter.
17:18That's what I'm telling you.
17:19How many people are representing?
17:20You had a question.
17:21How many people are representing in assembly?
17:23How many people are representing in parliament?
17:26How many people are employed in the system?
17:28This is the question which we are raising.
17:30Okay, past is past.
17:31If you have to keep on digging, I think this debate will never go.
17:34I can keep politically.
17:35Then why did the Ratha Yatra start?
17:38When Mendel come in against, why did the Ratha Yatra start?
17:41Why did the Adwani was arrested?
17:42The VPC government was withdrawn to support.
17:45All these things really does not get anything here.
17:47The fundamental question is whether in futuristic, in political scenario,
17:52the OBCs who are representing 55 to 60 percent in this country
17:55should be given a duration or not is a question.
17:58In fact, your party's leader, Rajiv Gandhi, I just have to quote him.
18:02In the 80s in election, he had a slogan.
18:04This was official Congress election slogan during that era.
18:08Na jaath par, na paath par.
18:10Vote not on caste, nor on creed.
18:13So, your party in 80s spoke about caste-less society, that we need to be united,
18:18not be divided on caste or religion.
18:20But today, Congress party is looking at caste census in everywhere that demanding central
18:24government should release the data on how many OBCs, how many forward caste, how many
18:28backward, how many minorities.
18:30So, your party today is speaking against what Rajiv Gandhi had spoken.
18:35That's what, if Modi sahab says, sabka sad, sabka vikas, everybody are together.
18:39Let's not go into that.
18:40That's why he said, what Mr. Rajiv Gandhi spoke in the Parliament of the House, I have
18:44got, I have read through also.
18:46He said, the way this Mandal Commission brought the bill and the way it is going to be implemented.
18:50The question was, he spoke about the criminal error only in 1992, in Indirani Saini case,
18:55the same was what Rajiv Gandhi spoke, it was there.
18:58So, where we are coming from, he said, the way this is going to be implemented, because
19:04apart from 1931 data, we never had a data in this country, till today also, we don't have
19:08OBC data, what even Arvind was speaking about.
19:10So, that's why today, we, especially me, I am raising a voice on behalf of OBC, saying
19:16that, let the central government or state, let the parliament decide, say to that, there
19:20has to be an empirical data, a proper census to be made, who is OBC and who is not OBC.
19:25OBC, even Lingayat could be in OBC, Vakkaligas also could be in OBC, based on his backwardness.
19:30How socially, economically, he is backward is a question mark.
19:34So, every state has got different, different OBCs, all put together, we are more than 3,000
19:38not OBCs in this country.
19:39So, if that empirical data comes, based on that, already in Gram Panchet, Taluk Panchet, Jilla
19:44Panchet, we are given 33% here, likewise, why should not be given a representation?
19:49So, given an opportunity, if today, just to add, today, if you see, since I am a labor
19:55minister, 65 to 70% of employment is given by the small-scale industries.
20:00They are not in the policymaking at all.
20:03In this country, I am very sure I want to be on record, 65 to 70% in this country
20:09who are
20:10small-scale industries, they are not there in the policymaking at all.
20:13So, likewise, the country which has got 50 to 60% who are an unorganized sector, they
20:19are people who are contributing for the growth of the economy.
20:21For example, if you have collected 1,055 crores, 155 lakh crores, if you have collected as
20:27GST, these are the people who are contributing.
20:31Indirectly, directly, they are the people who are contributing the larger chunk.
20:34And they are being the 60% of this population of this country, 60% of this population, you
20:40are talking about more than 70 and odd crores, they don't have representation in anywhere,
20:44in policymaking, in entrepreneurship.
20:47My question is very clear.
20:48I am stuck on to say to that, in future days, any political party, we should have a clear
20:54vision to give more representation.
20:56And representation is not a charity.
20:59And don't underestimate they are not unmarried.
21:01The people who all have ruled this country who speak about unmarried, today where are we?
21:07Have we really achieved what we are supposed to be achieving?
21:09So, there is always a question.
21:11I feel they should be given an opportunity.
21:13Mr. Pellar, when the Western countries are talking about reservation, you know, moving
21:19apart, away from reservation and having just on merit, not being just because he is a Kuruba
21:26or he is a Madiwala, he is a Vishwakarma, not because representation of his caste, because
21:31of his merit and also should we think of increasing the cap of economically, you know, reserved
21:36that section EWSV, a section that the BJP government bought in.
21:39Do you think that needs to be also increased?
21:41His government stance is that increase OBC reservation together and make every reservation
21:46cap it at 75%.
21:47There will be legal battles to it.
21:49But is that the way forward?
21:51See, our government gave a constitutional recognition to OBC commission.
21:57Otherwise, before that OBC commission did not have the recognition.
22:02So, having done that, our government, Antara Modi, Mr. Modi, is again going ahead and
22:07doing the caste census.
22:09So, we are going to get a very detailed empirical data of all the caste, all the people of the
22:15country.
22:16What is the progress we have seen in the last 75 years?
22:19Which community has progressed?
22:20How much?
22:21What is the educational status?
22:22What is the entrepreneurial status?
22:24What is the economic status of all the communities?
22:27Post that, certainly we should look at all the data and take whatever is suitable decision
22:33at that time.
22:34So, for everything, data is required.
22:36So, as Santosh also mentioned, we need to have a proper data in order to take a proper
22:42decision.
22:42And that should be supported by our constitution and it should go through the judicial scrutiny,
22:49whatever decision we take.
22:50So, it is required to be done.
22:52And that's why all these things need to be revisited again and again.
22:56That is a part of our culture.
22:58The Sadatana Dharma talks about this.
23:01We talk about revisiting the issues again and again.
23:05We are not stuck by one book or one idea mentioned at a particular time.
23:11Mr. Lad, you have been talking about OBC for a long time.
23:1575% cap is what you are asking.
23:17How is it legally possible?
23:19Supreme Court has put a cap on it.
23:21Just to appease someone, your government and you specifically are talking about OBCs, increasing
23:26the reservation.
23:27Is this even legally valid?
23:29Will it stand the scrutiny of the courts?
23:31See, now, since he started, economically weaker section, you gave 10% reservation.
23:37Nobody even asked for it.
23:40But isn't it needed?
23:41Someone who is poor, just because he is not born in OBC family, won't he need reservation?
23:46He does.
23:46We are not opposing it.
23:48So, we gave 10% reservation for economically weaker section, where the cap is still 8 lakh rupees.
23:54Today, per capital income in this country, we have not reached even 2 lakh.
23:59So, when you are given 8 lakh rupees to a maximum limit in economical weaker section, so 80% or
24:0790% of this country people are outcasted because in the very particular, the way you say who is going
24:14to be qualifying in EWSs, people who are in OBC, people who are ACST are left out in this EWS,
24:19economical weaker section.
24:21Anyway, that's one point.
24:22He is trying to score that, a Mandal government came, our government did.
24:26That's okay.
24:27We have done so many programs.
24:28You know, likewise, every country in every program, if I keep talking, it is a hundredth of things.
24:33Today, if you are speaking here, from the inception of Nehru, what we have done is not a point to
24:37be discussed here.
24:38Because Mr. Arvind was kept on telling that the Mandal Commission, the same government was pulled by them only.
24:44Because the Rathayatra was started against it.
24:46One Mr. Rama Josiah, who is a Rajasapa member, who was sitting a Rajasapa parliament member, he went and opposed
24:52this same OBC Mandal Commission in the court.
24:55That's not a point now.
24:56We need not score who has done what, all those things is gone.
24:58I think we should go forward and look whether this is really, should be given a chance or not.
25:03Now, last 11 years, they are not coming up with census.
25:05The government of India till today, they are due, last 11 years, the census has not come.
25:10So, we request through this very platform that the census has to come out, number one, and let the empirical
25:16data come through.
25:17And this is a new debate which we want to start on.
25:19Why should not the 60% of these people who are representing this country should be given a fair chance
25:24in assembly and parliament?
25:25The reason is, I tell you, when such people come into the representation, and those communities will directly or indirectly,
25:32they will start getting benefits.
25:33Today, SEST people, because of the reservation, today they are growing.
25:37They have got education institutions, they have got political power, they are getting into a lot of entrepreneurship.
25:42If you see OBCs today, they are really in a very doldrum.
25:45Smaller communities in OBCs are suffering much more than the scheduled caste and scheduled tribes in this country.
25:51My concern is not politically.
25:52My concern is the social upliftment of this community is very important.
25:58What you said looks very nice on paper.
26:01Mr. Bellar, do you think political parties right now have woken up to this whole OBC concept because they have
26:08realized the population is large?
26:09This is our vote bank.
26:10We can't just depend on Brahmins or Linga, it's our Vokal Ligas or Dalits.
26:13The largest chunk is 60-70% of them, so we need to appease them.
26:18And that's why both BGP and Congress are speaking the same tone that we need to do something for the
26:22OBCs.
26:24See, for having opposed the Mandal Commission on the floor of the House by Mr. Raju Gandhi, and today his
26:32son is coming and talking about OBC, it shows exactly what you are talking.
26:37So it is our – I'm glad the steps what BGP has taken in the interest of people.
26:45At last Congress has started recognizing them, and I only request is, after having spoken so much, Mr. Rahul Gandhi
26:52should come out and announce that the next prime minister or the next –
26:58all the chief ministers in the state, wherever Congress comes to power, will be from OBC community.
27:06He should come again and say, our prime minister candidate from the Congress should be from OBC community.
27:13It should not be from his family.
27:15I think if he says that, then we will appreciate and we will accept that whatever stand Congress is taking
27:22is right.
27:23And also we need to understand the fact that if there are 3,700 OBC communities in India, it is
27:29possibly, practically not possible to give representation to all of them on the floor of the House and in Assembly
27:36as well as in Parliament.
27:37We need to have a reservation, but it should consider all other factors apart from population.
27:46And we need to have a policy which will benefit the community more than a political return.
27:53In fact, as we come to the end of the show, we're going to do a closing comment.
27:58To add it, he's been talking about that Rahul Gandhi announced who should be the prime minister, and Modi's are
28:04telling that, or Rahul Gandhi should say all the chief ministers should be.
28:06This is what the point is.
28:08If somebody becomes a chief minister for OBC or a prime minister, it doesn't mean that he's representing the entire
28:12society.
28:13We are talking about a larger interest.
28:15We are telling that OBC should be given more reservation.
28:18There will be 15, 20, 30, 40 MLS from OBC community from across the party.
28:22It could be BJP, it could be JDS, it could be Congress on any party.
28:26It's not that somebody becomes a chief minister and they're going to represent the entire community.
28:30So the fundamental point is, again, I need to, you know, he's telling that, that OBC upliftment, OBC upliftment, he's
28:37been telling the same thing that his government, that's not the point.
28:39And the point is very clear that if any political person becomes a chief minister, he's not going to represent
28:45the entire OBC.
28:46Mr. Lard, you're speaking very technically now.
28:48Not technically, it's a fact.
28:49Final, final question to both of you as we wrap up this session.
28:54Can an OBC be a prime minister in Congress party and can an OBC be a chief minister from the
28:59BJP?
28:59A non-lingayat and a non-Brahmin or a non-other, except an OBC can become a prime minister in
29:05Congress?
29:06See, that's why I'm telling you, anybody can become a prime minister based on the numbers.
29:10No, no, I'm, I'm not, how can I say all those things?
29:13It's an hypothetical question which you're asking.
29:15Can I ask you, your CEO is going to be OBC?
29:19Your tomorrow CEO or your owner is going to be, that's very, you know, impractical question which you're asking.
29:24The whole point when we started is that, okay, tomorrow are they going to tell?
29:28It's not, it's not.
29:29Mr. Belad will answer, Mr. Belad will answer that.
29:31Anyway, third time Mr. Modi sahab is going to complete, nobody is going to tell.
29:33Well, not being very politically, I'm very clear that the OBC should be given more chances in the reservation
29:41so that the more number of OBCs will get reservation in assembly and parliament.
29:45Please, you go ahead.
29:46Mr. Belad, do you think BJP in Karnataka can have OBC CM?
29:49A non-lingayat OBC CM.
29:51Certainly, we, BJP can have a chief minister from OBC or from AC or ST or from any other community.
29:58We are not bound by any family.
30:00In fact, that was Mr. Santosh Laad, Labour Minister of Karnataka and Arvind Belad, Deputy Leader of Opposition Karnataka Assembly.
30:06Both have in terms agreed on that there needs to be some affirmative action to ensure that OBCs are, you
30:13know, moved up from the poverty line.
30:14So, that's what they're agreeing upon but the numbers is a big debatable topic even today.
30:18Thank you so much.
30:19Before to conclude what has happened today, if at all we have to sacrifice something for the, you know, for
30:26this country, for the justice of this country, for the, at least for the truth of this country, I feel
30:33the information integrity is very important.
30:35So, from this very platform I want to request, if at all the information is given correctly to this, the
30:42new generation of this world, definitely you see people will have different of opinion.
30:45If you're holding on to the information and if you're holding on to every information and you want to feed
30:51the information according to your wishes, that's where the entire system is going to fail.
30:56This is what I want to conclude.
30:58Thank you so much.
30:58Thank you both of you.