'Limit to our patience': Federation urges govt to publicise caste census findings

'To dislodge a communal government, the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, SC/STs and OBCs) communities backed the Congress and brought it to power. But the government is dilly-dallying... Are we only to be treated as a vote bank?' Dalit Sangharsha Samiti chief, Mavalli Shankar, said.

Bengaluru: Serving an ultimatum to the ruling Congress, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkarvada) state chief convenor Mavalli Shankar on Tuesday warned the government that they would not sit “quiet” if the findings of the caste census report are not publicised.

“To dislodge a communal government, the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, SC/STs and OBCs) communities backed the Congress and brought it to power. But the government is dilly-dallying on publicising the findings of the report. There’s a limit to our patience. Are we only to be treated as a vote bank? We won’t sit quiet.”

Shankar was speaking during a presser by the Federation of Karnataka Depressed Communities, where it was announced that the federation would meet on February 14 and 15 to discuss the issue.

Leaders noted that they would also try to meet the CM if he were in town and then plan the next course of action through statewide meetings.

A release mentioned that the report had been validated by IIM (B) and that the data computation was carried out by BEL.

Recollecting that implementing the report's findings was one of the Congress' poll promises in 2023, Shankar said: "We eagerly waited for it in the previous Cabinet but it didn’t come. Who are stopping it? What’s their scheme?"

"We know that certain powerful communities oppose it,” Shankar said in an indirect swipe at the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities.

Former mayor P R Ramesh noted that though the caste census was conducted by the backward classes commission, it had included all communities.