BENGALURU: In another U-turn, Karnataka’s government has decided to postpone a cabinet discussion on the contentious Karnataka Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, commonly known as the caste census, by another week.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah told reporters Wednesday in New Delhi: “We were supposed to table the report on Thursday. However, we decided to table the report at the next cabinet meeting.” He did not give a reason for the delay, triggering speculation over the sudden decision.
The announcement came hours after state home minister G Parameshwara said in Bengaluru that the report was in a sealed envelope – suggesting its contents were unknown – and that it would be opened during Thursday’s meeting. “Govt spent over Rs 160 crore on the census so it is our duty to reveal this information to the public. However, implementation is left to govt,” said Parameshwara.
Sources say the decision to postpone tabling the report was, perhaps, influenced by Congress’ high command amid pressure from influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga functionaries in the party. Representatives of the two politically dominant communities have expressed concerns over the potential implications of the report, which they believe undermines their demographic strength.
Siddaramaiah, who was in the capital for the inauguration of Congress’ new office, dismissed such speculation. “Some have opposed the report without knowing its contents,” he said. “The data is not yet in the public domain. Opposition based on assumption is unnecessary.”
On Sunday, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga face of the party, had assured the community that no injustice would be done, leading to the postponement of a meeting by the Vokkaligara Sangha, which sought to pressure govt to reject the report.
The survey, commissioned in 2015 during Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure, was completed in 2016 but remained in limbo under successive govts. In 2020, the BJP govt appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as chairman of the Backward Classes Commission and he submitted a final report on Feb 29 last year.
Alleged leaks from the report suggest that the numbers of Lingayats and Vokkaligas have been lowered while those of other communities have been inflated. Since these figures shape reservation policies and resource allocation, it has fuelled much discontent.
While Dalit and OBC groups are demanding the report’s release and implementation, Lingayat and Vokkaliga functionaries, including Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa, have labelled it “unscientific” and have called for a fresh survey.
Union minister and JD(S) state chief HD Kumaraswamy has accused Siddaramaiah of using the census to “degrade” politically dominant communities. “This is not just about two communities. Siddaramaiah must explain what he did for marginalised communities during his tenure,” Kumaraswamy said while urging govt to focus on identifying poor beneficiaries of welfare schemes rather than caste-based enumeration.
