Rahul’s call for nationwide survey reignites K’taka caste census debate

Bengaluru: Talk on the socio-economic and educational survey conducted in Karnataka, commonly referred to as the caste census, has resurfaced in political discourse after Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, reignited the debate during his recent visit to the US, demanding a national caste census.

Representatives of Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the governing Congress have now urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to allow a discussion on the survey report — yet to be made public by the state govt — during the Cabinet meeting in Kalaburagi next week.

“The Congress is committed to the principle of a caste census, as our leader Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly asserted that it should be carried out at the national level to ensure social justice. In such a scenario, the state govt, ruled by our party, cannot sit on the caste census [report] for so long. We urge the chief minister to act quickly,” said senior MLC and OBC leader, BK Hariprasad.

Siddaramaiah, a key advocate for oppressed classes, is a member of the OBC caste Kuruba and is recognised for his leadership in the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) movement. In 2016, during his first tenure as CM, Siddaramaiah had commissioned the socio-economic and educational survey, well before Bihar’s caste census was published in 2023 by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

However, despite the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (BC Commission), led by H Kantharaju, submitting the report in 2018, Siddaramaiah’s govt was unable to accept it before its term ended.

Initially, the report was held back due to technicalities, including the absence of the member-secretary’s signature. The issue then escalated politically, with dominant communities such as the Lingayats and Vokkaligas objecting to leaked findings. They claimed their populations were undercounted, while communities such as Kuruba were allegedly overrepresented.

When Siddaramaiah returned to power in 2023, discussions on the caste census gained momentum. The BC Commission, previously chaired by K Jayaprakash Hegde, resubmitted the report in February this year, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

“We have accepted the caste census report, and the chief minister will decide shortly,” said backward classes welfare minister Shivaraj Tangadagi.

Rahul, while advocating for a nationwide caste census, also called for the removal of the 50% cap on reservations, at a media interaction during his US trip.

Inspired by his stance, OBC leaders within the Congress are urging their govt to reclassify OBC categories to ensure fair opportunities for the most disadvantaged communities.

Currently, Karnataka’s OBC reservation is divided among five categories, sharing 24% of the total quota: Category-1 (96 castes for 4%), Category-2A (103 castes for 15%), Category-2B (Muslims for 4%), Category-3A (Vokkaligas and sub-castes for 4%), and Category-3B (Lingayats for 5%).

Additionally, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are entitled to 17% and 7% reservations, respectively.

OBC leaders are now pushing for reclassification based on the latest caste census, while calling for the reservation cap to be extended beyond 50%.

“Rahul Gandhi is right in asserting that the 50% cap should be removed. We have already submitted our memorandum to the chief minister, and hope the cabinet will take it up for discussion,” said KC Venugopal, the KPCC vice-president and president of the Most Backward Classes Forum.

“The Supreme Court has recommended a caste-based socio-economic survey to assess whether equal opportunities have been achieved. In Karnataka, our govt has already initiated this. If the BJP is truly committed to social justice, the Centre should immediately conduct a nationwide caste census. The BJP’s claim against Rahul Gandhi, falsely accusing him of making anti-reservation remarks, are as absurd as ‘butchers protesting animal cruelty’.

Siddaramaiah | Chief minister

Courtesy : TOI

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