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Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Will cabinet take a call on caste census, Greater Bengaluru Authority?
Bengaluru: The cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday has garnered significant political interest since ministers are set to deliberate on the contentious socio-economic and educational survey, widely referred to as the state caste census .Besides, they are also expected to discuss the govt's proposal to set up a special task force to prevent communal flare-ups in the coastal districts, a decision that comes in the wake of the murder of pro-Hindu activist and rowdy sheeter Suhas Shetty. It coincides with a BJP delegation meeting governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, seeking his intervention in "restoring" law and order in these districts and action against assembly speaker UT Khader for "controversial" remarks about the murder case."The govt's proposal of a special force is aimed at protecting anti-social elements who are on a spree killing pro-Hindu activists," said N Ravikumar, BJP chief whip in the legislative council. "The speaker's remarks supporting the suspected murderer's family is evidence of this. Only the governor's intervention can resolve this issue."The cabinet is also expected to schedule the 'appointed day' when the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act will come into force and declare the geographical area of Greater the focus will remain firmly on the caste census, especially with the Centre announcing a national caste census. Lingayats and Vokkaligas, the two politically dominant communities in the state, have objected to the state report and have called for it to be scrapped. Both contend that their respective population figures have been deliberately undercounted, while figures of some "select" communities have been minister Siddaramaiah had convened a special cabinet meeting on April 11 to deliberate on the report, but that meeting ended inconclusive. "The govt is aware of all concerns regarding the caste census," said law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil. "While these concerns are largely about population numbers, there is no dispute about the socio-economic and educational assessment. The cabinet will discuss all these aspects before taking a decision."However, the govt faces a challenge since other backward classes (OBCs), including Kurubas, want the report to be implemented, even while Lingayats and Vokkaligas have collaborated to ensure the report is shelved. Six Lingayat ministers led by forest minister Eshwar Khandre met last week and resolved to unitedly oppose the report. Meanwhile, the Vokkaligara Sangha wrote to the CM, urging him to scrap the with Vokkaligas and Lingayats, other communities such as Brahmins, Vaisyas, Bunts and Kodavas have also expressed concerns about their population figures. "The report is lopsided," said B Kenchappa Gowda, Vokkaligara Sangha president. "It shows the population of certain communities have increased by a staggering 74% to 1400%, while the population of Vokkaligas, Lingayats, Brahmins, Vaisyas and others have been undercounted. This is unacceptable."So far, Siddaramaiah has remained firm and has even suggested that he will base the next state budget on the census report. The census cost the state exchequer Rs 162 crore.
India Today
24-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka dominant communities join forces to oppose caste survey report
The Karnataka Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, the apex body of the dominant Vokkaliga community, is exploring an alliance with the Lingayat community's Veerashaiva Mahasabha to oppose the recommendations of the caste census report in Lingayats and Vokkaligas are influential and dominant in Karnataka's political landscape. They have been particularly instrumental for politicians during election two influential groups are now looking to jointly counter any attempts to implement the findings of the 'Social and Educational Survey Report,' which was presented to the state cabinet on April Kenchappa Gowda, president of the Vokkaligara Sangha, confirmed ongoing discussions between the two communities.'We are in constant touch with Veerashaiva Mahasabha leaders. We are planning to hold a meeting, but the date has not been finalised yet,' Gowda told news agency PTI.A Veerashaiva Mahasabha office-bearer also echoed this sentiment, adding that the talks are focused on devising strategies to pressurise the government into reconsidering the caste census report.'The discussions are mainly to decide strategies to build pressure on the government not to proceed with the caste census report recommendations and to demand a fresh, free, and fair survey,' the office-bearer stated, requesting caste census report, which was presented to the Karnataka cabinet last month, has faced resistance from both the Vokkaligara Sangha and the Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities, two of the state's largest social groups. These communities argue that the report, after being commissioned ten years ago, does not adequately represent their interests and needs a thorough report, which was submitted to the state government by Jayaprakash Hegde, chairperson of the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, has stirred significant controversy in the state. Following its presentation to the cabinet, a special meeting was called on April 17, where it was decided that the matter would be revisited at a cabinet meeting scheduled for May 2.
