646 backward castes have no political representation in Karnataka

Less than 20% of the 802 backward castes in Karnataka have found space in politics

Justice Bhaktavatsala. Credit: Special Arrangement

Amid the noise over the Panchamasali Lingayats and Vokkaligas seeking higher reservation, less than 20 per cent of the 802 backward castes in Karnataka have found space in politics, leaving hundreds of communities without elected representatives they can call their own.

Karnataka has five categories of backward castes, totalling 802. Of them, only 156 have found political representation in local body elections since 1996, according to the Justice K Bhaktavatsala Commission of Inquiry, whose July 2022 report is with DH.

In Karnataka, Lingayats and Vokkaligas are categorised as OBCs (Other Backward Classes). Even Muslims come under the OBC list.

The commission relied on empirical data on local body elections — rural and urban — held in 1996, 2001, 2010 and 2015. “One can safely reach the conclusion that a large number of castes and communities who come under the Category A and B of Other Backward Classes are still socially and politically backward,” the commission said in its report that recommended 33 per cent OBC reservation in local body polls.

The commission was constituted by the Bommai administration in May this year to determine the political backwardness of OBCs as required by the Supreme Court.

The commission urged the government to reclassify backward classes by creating two more categories “for the purpose of effective reservation”.

That a large number of castes do not have elected representatives is “a failure of the political parties”, former Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes chairperson C S Dwarakanath said. “Instead of talking about this, those who already have representation are asking for higher reservation,” he frowned, referring to the Vokkaligas and Lingayats.

Dwarakanath said providing political representation on a rotation basis would be a good start.

“There’s greed in those who are in power. Only the dominant communities get election tickets at the cost of smaller ones that do not have money power,” BJP’s OBC Morcha president N L Narendra Babu admitted.

Babu, who belongs to the Tigala community, said only a few OBCs enjoy the lion’s share of benefits. “This applies to civic amenity sites or grants for mutts. Might is right,” Babu said, adding that money should not be the sole criterion to determine winnability in an election.

Congress's Ramesh Babu, a former MLC, laid bare how weaker backward castes stand no chance against the powerful ones. “For example, the Savita Samaja (barbers) and Kurubas both come under Category 2A. How can the Savita Samaja even compete with Kurubas? This is the lacunae,” he said.

The buck stops with political parties, Dwarakanath insisted. “Identify a weak community, give them the ticket and help them win an election. Isn’t that how a party creates a support base,” he asked, rhetorically.