Karnataka Caste Survey: Lingayat And Vokkaliga Communities Urge State Government To Reject Long-Pending Report

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka is facing mounting pressure from the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities to reject the socio-economic and educational survey, commonly known as the caste survey.

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC) is expected to submit the report by the end of November, as reported by Indian Express.

Both influential communities have expressed reservations, with the Vokkaligara Sangha and All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha advocating against the acceptance of the survey findings.

The state-wide survey, initiated in 2015 by the previous Congress government, was completed in 2017 but was kept under wraps due to political concerns leading up to the 2018 assembly polls.

Subsequent governments, including the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), continued to delay the release of the report.

Last week, during a meeting of the Vokkaligara Sangha, attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, urged the government to reject the caste survey report.

Following suit, the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, led by Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa, raised concerns about the survey's scientific validity and urged for a new census.

While Karnataka Backward Classes Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi emphasised waiting for the report's official submission, KSCBC chairman Jayaprakash Hegde confirmed that the report would be submitted by the end of November.

CM Siddaramaiah has previously stated that the government would consider the report once it is officially submitted.

The survey aims to assess the educational and economic status of various communities in the state and has been a subject of contention due to potential political repercussions.