Government will collapse if caste census is implemented, caution dominant communities
Bengaluru: With just two days left for the Karnataka Cabinet to deliberate on the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey report — widely referred to as the ‘caste census’ — opposition to its implementation has intensified.
Despite the report’s contents not yet being made public, resistance has grown, particularly among dominant communities. Political parties, including sections within the ruling Congress, have criticised the report, labelling it “unscientific” and calling for a fresh survey.
According to sources, the survey’s findings challenge the long-held perceptions of the numerical strength of various castes — especially the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas.
The revelations have triggered a political storm, with Ministers from these communities preparing to voice their objections during the upcoming Cabinet Session.
On Tuesday, the Vokkaligara Sangha — the apex body of the Vokkaliga community — formally lodged a strong protest against the report.
The Sangha’s President, Kenchappa Gowda, along with other office-bearers, said that Vokkaligas will join hands with Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Brahmins and other communities that have felt “injustice”, warning of a massive agitation if the Government proceeds with implementing the caste census.
They appealed to Vokkaliga Ministers and MLAs, particularly from the ruling Congress, to oppose the report and announced plans to conduct an independent survey of the Vokkaliga population, for which they have already developed specialised software.
Kenchappa Gowda stated that the Sangha would await the outcome of the April 17 Cabinet meeting before consulting community seers and political leaders to chart the next course of action.
The Sangha’s executive committee, which met to assess the report’s implications, unanimously dismissed the findings as “unscientific” and decided to commission its own population study.
Leaked portions of the census estimate the Vokkaliga population at 61 lakh — a number the Sangha has rejected as “grossly inaccurate.” The report also places Gangatkar Vokkaligas at 82,589 and Morasu Vokkaligas at a mere 3,859.
Enumerators not visited homes
T. Konappa Reddy, General Secretary of the Sangha, strongly refuted these figures. “Just one hobli in districts like Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur or Kolar has more than 3,859 Morasu Vokkaligas,” he said.
Representatives also questioned the methodology, pointing out that many households reported being skipped during the data collection process. “People are asking how the data was finalised when enumerators never visited their homes,” they said.
Gowda demanded the report be scrapped. “We welcome a fresh and scientifically conducted survey using geo-tagging technology. The Government’s own decision to conduct another study for internal SC/ST reservations shows that this census is flawed,” he said. He added ominously: “We will not stop protesting until this Government collapses.”
Sangha Director NelligereBabu echoed this sentiment, saying the community would send a clear message to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that his Government would not survive if it attempted to enforce the caste census.
The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha — the apex body of the Lingayat community — has also raised similar objections and is reportedly planning protests. Both communities have accused the Commission of artificially fragmenting their sub-sects across multiple OBC categories, reducing their overall population figures. They have also alleged that the survey excluded many households.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also heads the State Congress and hails from the Vokkaliga community, had earlier signed a memorandum — along with a few other Ministers — requesting the Chief Minister to reject the report and its data.
The Mahasabha, led by senior Congress leader and MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa, has demanded a new, credible caste census. Several Lingayat Ministers and MLAs have also raised concerns.
Congress MLC Nagaraj Yadav joined the dissent, arguing that the Yadava or Golla community was arbitrarily split across various OBC categories — pegging its population at just 10 lakh, when he claimed it should be closer to 25–30 lakh.
This post was published on April 16, 2025 6:37 pm