Karnataka caste survey submitted amid objection by Lingayats, Vokkaligas

A Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the caste census, was submitted to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and triggered concerns within the Congress over the issue.

The report, whose details are yet to be revealed publicly, was submitted by Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde to the Chief Minister, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

According to sources, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are the largest communities (in terms of numbers) in Karnataka, followed by Muslims, as per the caste census.

Lingayats and Vokkaligas, the state’s two dominant communities, are the third and fourth largest groups, respectively, while the Kurubas are the largest Other Backward Class (OBC) community, sources said.

Dalits form the largest chunk and are spread across the state, according to the caste census.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he will discuss the caste census report in a Cabinet meeting to decide the future course of action.

“We don’t know what is in the report. The government has received the report and it will be placed before the Cabinet, and will be discussed and decided there,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after receiving the caste census report.

Hegde said that the report was prepared based on data collected by 1.60 lakh officials, including 1.33 lakh teachers, under the leadership of respective Deputy Commissioners of the districts across the state in 2014-15.

Vokkaligas and Lingayats have expressed reservations about the survey and called it “unscientific”. They have called for the scrapping of the report and a fresh survey conducted.

Karnataka medium and large scale industries minister MB Patil said, “We don’t know what the report contains. The government has to decide if it has to be accepted or not. In the census, Lingayat subcastes are mentioned as Hindu subcastes. If that happens, it is going to create hardship.”