Haven't opposed caste census, but it has to be scientific: D K Shivakumar

Belagavi: A day after a rap from AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said he is not opposed to the caste census, but maintained that the exercise that was done in the state was “unscientific”.

Shivakumar’s clarification came after Kharge, during a debate in the Rajya Sabha, said “all upper-castes are united” to oppose the caste census. Kharge made this remark after BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi pointed out that Shivakumar had signed a petition urging the government to junk the caste census.

The Lingayats and Vokkaligas - considered as upper castes in Karnataka - are opposing the yet-to-be-released caste census. Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, is a Vokkaliga.

“I have not opposed (caste census) anywhere. It’s our party’s policy and our government did it in Karnataka,” Shivakumar clarified. “My apprehension is that a lot of our legislators and a lot of our ministers...we spoke...there has to be a proper census. It has to be done in a scientific way,” he said.

Shivakumar said his own house was not covered during the caste census, which was commissioned in 2015 during the first Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. “No one came to ask me. I also checked with so many legislators,” he said.

Last month, Shivakumar signed a petition against the caste census that was submitted to Siddaramaiah by the Vokkaligara Sangha. Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar has signed it, too.

The Lingayats are also opposing the caste census on the same ground that it was not done scientifically. The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, which has made its stand against the case census public, is headed by senior Congress lawmaker Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

Shivakumar explained that any census that is done should confer rights to communities properly. “Minorities, for example, ask for their rights as per their population. Similarly, for SC/STs in our state, we have a legislation that funds should be allocated based on their population,” he said. “Like that, we’re asking for a justification....there should be a proper, scientific approach on this,” he added.

Asserting that he “fully endorses” the Congress’ commitment towards all sections of society, Shivakumar identified himself as a member of the backward class. “I’m a backward class man...Vokkaligas are also backward class,” he said. “As party president, I have to look at every section of society.”

Shivakumar also raised a question on the validity of the caste census report. “The biggest problem is that the (then) secretary didn’t sign the report. When the report wasn’t signed, how can it be valid?” he said.

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, which has the caste census findings, has been given time till January 31, 2024 to submit the report to the government.