Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 11: After years of political tug-of-war and prolonged delays, the much-anticipated caste census report is finally poised to be presented before the Karnataka cabinet. The report, housed in sealed boxes, has been transported to Vidhana Soudha and is expected to be opened during Friday’s cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah.
Sources indicate that the Congress-led government is preparing to appoint a cabinet sub-committee to evaluate the recommendations made in the report. Adding to the weight of the report’s findings, it is said that Muslims have been projected as the second-largest population group, following SCs and STs.
The report’s impending release has already stirred political unrest. Opposition parties, including the BJP and JD(S), have raised objections, while dominant caste groups such as Lingayats and Vokkaligas have voiced concerns over alleged underrepresentation.
Deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, responding to media queries on Friday, asserted that neither he nor CM Siddaramaiah has seen the report yet. “Even the ministers have not seen it. Once the report is submitted, discussions will follow. This is not something to be deliberated in front of the media,” he said.
PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi confirmed the report’s presentation, stating that the ‘mahurta’ (auspicious time) had finally been fixed. “Let the report come out. Until then, we must wait. The government should ensure open debate, and the matter must be brought to the House,” he emphasized.
Minister for RDPR, IT, and BT Priyank Kharge clarified that the document should not be referred to as a ‘caste census’ but rather a socio-economic survey. “Discussion can begin only after the report is tabled before the cabinet. The findings should be compared with existing government data. The Justice H N Nagamohan Das Commission has recommended a resurvey, and there must be transparency going forward,” he said.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said he had no prior knowledge about the report being tabled in the cabinet. “Once it enters the cabinet, it will be in the public domain, allowing us to evaluate it. This survey was conducted by our Congress government,” he stated.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah had earlier reaffirmed his stance, stating on February 18 that the caste census was conducted using scientific methods and would be implemented without hesitation. “There is no need for doubt. We support and accept the report,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP has accused the CM of using the caste census report as a political shield. BJP state president B Y Vijayendra alleged that Siddaramaiah brings up the report whenever internal pressure mounts within the Congress. “No one demanded this report. He keeps delaying its presentation for political gain,” Vijayendra remarked.
The origins of the report date back to Siddaramaiah’s first tenure as CM in 2014, when he ordered the Karnataka Socio-Economic and Educational Census. Conducted by the then Backward Classes Commission led by H Kantharaju, the survey cost the state nearly Rs 169 crore and was ready by 2016. However, successive governments – Congress-JD(S) coalition and BJP administrations – kept the report shelved.
In 2020, the BJP appointed Jayaprakash Hegde to head the commission. The final report was eventually submitted to the Siddaramaiah government on February 29, 2024, setting the stage for the crucial cabinet discussion now underway.