Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar with CM Siddaramaiah
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet yet again deferred a decision on the contentious Social and Educational Survey (caste census) report on Thursday as debates remained inconclusive even after being discussed in three Cabinet meetings after April 11.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said: “The Cabinet again discussed the caste census issue today but the discussion was inconclusive. The Chief Minister had asked ministers to give their opinion in writing. Following that, most ministers have submitted their opinions. Three-four ministers are yet to submit their opinions. We will further discuss the issue later after getting some more details.”
DH has reliably learnt that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar, Mining Minister S S Mallikarjun, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge and Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa are yet to give their written opinions.
The dominant, landowning Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities have opposed the survey by accusing it of being “unscientific” and “undercounting” their numbers.
The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, headed by Veteran Congressman Shamanur Shivashankarappa, has opposed the survey. Mallikarjun is Shamanur’s son. Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, has been a signatory to a resolution by the Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha opposing the report.
The report, submitted to the government in February 2024 by the then backward classes commission chairman Jayaprakash Hegde, had been kept in a sealed cover. It was opened on April 11 in the Cabinet. Since then, it has been discussed in three Cabinet meetings, where different aspects of the report have been debated.
Sources told DH that there were deliberations that there shouldn’t be a decision on the caste census till the completion of ongoing survey to enumerate Scheduled Castes.
The SCs’ survey, which began on May 5, is being conducted to decide on internal reservation, one of the manifesto promises of the Congress. According to documents accessed by DH, 93,36,841 individuals belonging to SC communities have been surveyed so far.