Spotlight on 2015 caste census ahead of K’taka polls
Bengaluru Almost six years since the commissioning of the “Socio-Economic and Education Survey”, better known as caste-census, by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015, a section of leaders from some of the most marginalised groups in Karnataka are attempting to take the legal route to get chief minister BS Yediyurappa release the findings, HT has learned
Bengaluru Almost six years since the commissioning of the “Socio-Economic and Education Survey”, better known as caste-census, by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015, a section of leaders from some of the most marginalised groups in Karnataka are attempting to take the legal route to get chief minister BS Yediyurappa release the findings, HT has learned.
With just two years to go before assembly elections in 2023, making the report public is likely to have a significant impact on the complex caste equations in a state where dominant communities like Lingayats and Vokkaligas have ruled the narrative.
The newly formed Athi Hindulida Jagruti Vedike (Kannada for extreme backward classes awareness forum) has now approached former chief minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress to make the report public.
“The reservation that is being given out today is based on unscientific data and there are extremely backward classes who have no representation economically, socially or politically to raise their voices,” Mukyamanthri Chandru, former legislator and popular Kannada cinema actor told Hindustan Times on Sunday. Chandru is also the honorary president of the newly formed forum.
The forum is targeting to file a petition of Mandamus (judicial writ to command to order to perform a public or statutory duty) by July 16 or coming Friday.
“The commission conducted the survey directed by the government which was their mandate. They (backward classes commission) have collected all the data and the report is also ready as they have shared it under RTI,” AS Ponanna, former Additional Advocate General of Karnataka and senior counsel said.
The senior counsel added that ₹162 crore of the state’s money has been spent on this purpose and this information should be available to the public.
Siddaramaiah, from the backward yet politically formidable Kuruba community, attempted to conduct the caste census in 2015, the first since 1931 anywhere in the country, as a way to challenge the dominant caste theory in Karnataka.
Successive governments, including the one that commissioned it, have steered clear of considering the sensitive nature of the information that has the potential to review the perceived size of caste groups which have allowed a few communities to have better bargaining power compared to others.
Siddaramaiah, who stormed to power in 2013 riding on the support base of AHINDA (acronym for Muslims, backward classes and Dalits) is hoping the release of the data would also help his claim to the top post from within his party to rule out the likes of state Congress president DK Shivakumar among others if the Congress returns to power in 2023.
To be sure, the forum has also approached Shivakumar for his support.
Karnataka’s political landscape has been ruled by the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, believed to be the two largest communities in the state, which has been challenged in the past by smaller groups who are fighting to get the same kind of representation.
These small communities, who account for no more than a few thousand in each constituency, are also key for political parties as they can become the deciding factor in close contests.
The developments come at a time when Yediyurappa, a Lingayat, has doled out handsomely for caste-specific programmes as a way of reaching out to groups that are not known to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Though Yediyurappa is known to be the tallest leader of the Lingayats, some of the bigger sub-sects like Panchamasalis are demanding that one of their own be considered for the top job, should the BJP high command enforces a replacement of the chief minister.
The chunk of most benefits of reservation in Karnataka and other states in the country are often taken up by the large communities, experts said, leaving hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller groups with no representation or benefits.
There are at least 36 caste groups in Karnataka who have been waiting for almost a decade to get the government to look their way for better reservation opportunities, Hindustan Times reported on February 15.
The recent reservation-related demands by Panchamasali, Kurubas, Vokkaligas and Valmikis among others, have added to apprehensions of smaller communities, with scattered populations across the state, of further injustices.
All three major political parties in Karnataka, BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), have a core-caste or community support base which has allowed them to remain politically relevant in the south Indian state.
BJP enjoys the backing of the dominant Lingayats while Dalits, communities that come under other backward classes and minorities are seen to back the Congress. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his former chief minister son, HD Kumaraswamy-led JD(S) relies heavily on the Vokkaligas, another dominant and politically influential community found largely in the Old Mysuru region.
The leaked findings of the caste census, which were not authenticated by the then Siddaramaiah-led government in 2015, indicate the downward revision of the percentage of Lingayats and Vokkaligas from its earlier believed figures of around 17% and 14% respectively to just around 10%.
But his plan to get the support of the Lingayats backfired when he, on the advice of ministers like MB Patil among others, mooted to accord the community the status of a separate religion just before the 2018 assembly elections, demonstrating the nature of deep-rooted caste-based politics in the state.
“Hundreds of crores have been spent for Caste-based census. Hence, leaders from the backward class met me and said it should not go to waste. There is nothing wrong in their demand,” Shivakumar said on Sunday.
He added that he was unaware of the contents but said that he will discuss the same with other party leaders.
“First, we shall learn what is BJP’s stand on this. When asked, they’ve replied that the report hasn’t been submitted and they were unaware of this,” he said.
According to people aware of the developments, the state backward classes commission has already submitted the report to the government, which is yet to take a call on its release.
