The balija community is demanding reservation in the 2a' category of the other backward classes. Honorary president of the balija association, Venkatesh, pointed out that then chief minister D Devaraj Urs had introduced reservation for members of the backward classes in 1972, but that successive governments had expended crores of rupees commissioning reports none of the recommendations had been implemented or accepted in the assembly. "Under the existing system, most communities in the backward classes are clubbed under 2a' category but we are witnessing a shift with many communities being classified under 3a' category despite no official recommendation this has greatly affected members of the balija community," said Venkatesh. An estimated 5000 members of the balija community from Mysuru and Chamarajanagar are expected to participate in the yatra in Bengaluru which would culminate with a memorandum being submitted to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
