Bangalore: Kurubas, the shepherds, forming the third largest Jati after the Lingayats and Vokkaligas in Karnataka, have started organising their community in a big way. They have realised that the Kurumba community can gain political power only through Jati identity.
At last, they have found a leader in Siddaramaiah, currently Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. The Kurumba’s are very upset that the wily Vaidik R.K. Hegde with the help. of Lingayat’s connived at installing J.H. Patel, a Lingayat as Chief Minister though H.D. Deve Gowda was bent upon seeing that Siddaramaiah succeeded him as CM.
On Aug. 4 last, 400 top Kurumba leaders of the state whet here and discussed the urgent need to organise their Jati. Kurumba’s belong to the Backward Caste and a totally deprived community – mostly working as agricultural labourers. They hold Kanaka Dasa as their Jati hero.
