Shamanur salvo: Lingayats undercounted in caste census

Bengaluru: Senior Congress lawmaker Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who heads the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, claimed on Saturday to know the findings of the yet-to-be-disclosed caste census, which he said has undercounted his community's population.

Shamanur even foresaw that the report will not be made public and warned of electoral ramifications for the Congress. 

"The report was not prepared in a scientific way. Instead of enumerating the community as Veerashaiva-Lingayat, they've recorded sub-castes such as Sadar, Banajiga, Nonaba and so on. With this, our community's population will be shown lower," Shamanur said. 

Asked if he was aware of the findings of the Socio-Economic & Educational Survey (aka caste census), Shamanur said the report was leaked. "We know it's flawed. That's why we're opposing it. We have information," he said, adding that the report has shown Veerashaiva-Lingayats to be 60-70 lakh whereas it is more than that. 

On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement that he is determined to accept the caste census report, Shamanur has a different view.

"Everyone is against the report. I don't think it'll come out. I think it'll keep getting postponed," he said. "If it is done, they'll find out for themselves what will happen during the next election," he added. 

The Vokkaligara Sangha has already petitioned Siddaramaiah against the caste census. Signatories included Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. The Mahasabha, too, will convey its stand to Siddaramaiah in writing, Shamanur said. 

Meanwhile, senior MLC AH Vishwanath, who is supporting the Congress in the legislature, urged the government to make the caste census report public, while dubbing Shamanur as a "hypocrite" for his stand. "Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who is opposing the report, must have forgotten the community that voted for him and was responsible for his victory," Vishwanath said. 

The Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation, which is lobbying for the caste census, held a meeting on Saturday and resolved to keep up pressure on the government. They even warned of protests at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi if the report is not accepted before the the start of the winter session of the legislature starting December 4.

Earlier this week, the state government extended the term of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes headed by K Jayaprakash Hegde up to January 31, 2024.  Its term ended Saturday. The extension virtually gives more time for Hegde to submit the report to the government.