Lingayat, Vokkaliga outfits in Karnataka to fight jointly against caste census
Bengaluru: In a rare display of unity, the apex bodies representing Karnataka's dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities—All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha (AIVM) and Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha—are preparing to join forces against the state govt's socio-economic and educational survey, which they allege has projected a reduced population of both castes.
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The two groups are set to meet Thursday in Bengaluru to finalise a joint action committee that will lead the resistance against the caste census.
Mahasabha general secretary Renuka Prasanna said the Lingayat group will be represented by senior Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Prasanna also revealed that AIVM is planning to conduct its own independent caste survey.
"Considering that a majority of our community members are farmers, the only possible time to get them to participate in the survey is Dec," he said, adding that the Mahasabha is developing software to carry out the private exercise.
While these communities have traditionally been seen as political rivals, insiders say a consensus to collaborate has been reached "in principle." We already had three rounds of talks at the office bearers' level and agreed to join hands. However, the joint action committee for opposing the survey report has to be finalised only when the bodies' presidents meet," said an AIVM office-bearer.
If everything goes according to the plan, the proposed joint action will make a three-pronged approach: First, lobbying with ministers from their communities in CM Siddaramaiah's cabinet to oppose the release of the survey findings; second, launching coordinated protests across the state if pro-census groups push for its implementation through the Congress high command; and third, preparing a joint legal petition to challenge the survey, if necessary.
The Lingayat leadership is also reportedly engaging with other communities discontented by the survey in an attempt to broaden the coalition. "The Lingayats are also reaching out to 'other' communities unhappy with the census report and are trying to woo them into the joint action committee," a source said.
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