<p>Bengaluru: The population of Scheduled Castes and Muslims in Karnataka rose by over 90% while Veerashaiva-Lingayats saw a single-digit growth since 1984, when the last ‘comprehensive’ social and educational survey was done.</p><p>In 1984, the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community accounted for nearly 17% of the state’s population; by 2015, its share fell to 11%, as per the new Social and Educational Survey (also known as caste census), whose findings have rattled the ‘dominant’ community’s leaders.</p>.<p>The Venkataswamy Commission carried out a Social and Educational Survey in 1984, which covered 91% of the state’s 3.61 crore population. The Veerashaiva-Lingayats came first, followed by Scheduled Castes and Vokkaligas. Muslims came fourth, then Kurubas and Brahmins last.</p><p>In the 2015 survey, Scheduled Castes were the single-largest bloc, followed by Muslims. The Veerashaiva-Lingayats came third, and were followed by Vokkaligas, Kurubas and Brahmins.</p><p>According to former Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes chairperson C S Dwarakanath, Veerashaiva-Lingayats faced a “setback” as their community members preferred a different identity in order to receive higher reservation.</p><p>“There are Sadar Lingayats who come under Category-3B, which has a 5% reservation. There are Hindu Sadars who come under Category-2A, which has a 15% reservation. For the sake of reservation, people started identifying themselves as Hindu Sadar, Hindu Ganiga, Hindu Madiwala instead of using the Lingayat nomenclature,” Dwarakanath said, adding: “That’s why the Lingayat population couldn’t grow.”</p><p>The Venkataswamy Commission was appointed by the Ramakrishna Hegde government in April 1983 and its report was submitted in March 1986. The Hegde government junked the report amid protests from Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities.</p>.Cast(e) in 1931 and still counting.<p>Writing in the Economic & Political Weekly, social scientist P Radhakrishnan observed that the report’s “severe restrictions and several exclusions, in particular of the dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, in addition to other advanced castes...were quick to draw the ire of these communities; and the displeasure of a government whose very survival depended on their support”.</p><p>It remains to be seen what fate awaits the 2015 survey, as Lingayat and Vokkaliga leaders, even within the Congress, are against it.</p><p>“We are seven Lingayat ministers in the Cabinet and we’re together,” Industries Minister M B Patil said.</p><p>Mandya Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda (Ganiga) said there are over one crore Vokkaligas. “The report shows a lower count. The rectification is that the report should become public so that people see for themselves,” he said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The population of Scheduled Castes and Muslims in Karnataka rose by over 90% while Veerashaiva-Lingayats saw a single-digit growth since 1984, when the last ‘comprehensive’ social and educational survey was done.</p><p>In 1984, the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community accounted for nearly 17% of the state’s population; by 2015, its share fell to 11%, as per the new Social and Educational Survey (also known as caste census), whose findings have rattled the ‘dominant’ community’s leaders.</p>.<p>The Venkataswamy Commission carried out a Social and Educational Survey in 1984, which covered 91% of the state’s 3.61 crore population. The Veerashaiva-Lingayats came first, followed by Scheduled Castes and Vokkaligas. Muslims came fourth, then Kurubas and Brahmins last.</p><p>In the 2015 survey, Scheduled Castes were the single-largest bloc, followed by Muslims. The Veerashaiva-Lingayats came third, and were followed by Vokkaligas, Kurubas and Brahmins.</p><p>According to former Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes chairperson C S Dwarakanath, Veerashaiva-Lingayats faced a “setback” as their community members preferred a different identity in order to receive higher reservation.</p><p>“There are Sadar Lingayats who come under Category-3B, which has a 5% reservation. There are Hindu Sadars who come under Category-2A, which has a 15% reservation. For the sake of reservation, people started identifying themselves as Hindu Sadar, Hindu Ganiga, Hindu Madiwala instead of using the Lingayat nomenclature,” Dwarakanath said, adding: “That’s why the Lingayat population couldn’t grow.”</p><p>The Venkataswamy Commission was appointed by the Ramakrishna Hegde government in April 1983 and its report was submitted in March 1986. The Hegde government junked the report amid protests from Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities.</p>.Cast(e) in 1931 and still counting.<p>Writing in the Economic & Political Weekly, social scientist P Radhakrishnan observed that the report’s “severe restrictions and several exclusions, in particular of the dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, in addition to other advanced castes...were quick to draw the ire of these communities; and the displeasure of a government whose very survival depended on their support”.</p><p>It remains to be seen what fate awaits the 2015 survey, as Lingayat and Vokkaliga leaders, even within the Congress, are against it.</p><p>“We are seven Lingayat ministers in the Cabinet and we’re together,” Industries Minister M B Patil said.</p><p>Mandya Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda (Ganiga) said there are over one crore Vokkaligas. “The report shows a lower count. The rectification is that the report should become public so that people see for themselves,” he said.</p>
