Lingayat-Vokkaliga Strain, Surjewala’s Recommendation: Why Karnataka Congress Is Dragging Its Ft On Caste Census – News18
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The caste census was initiated by Siddaramaiah in 2015 throughout his first stint as chief minister however was shelved by subsequent administrations
The Siddaramaiah cupboard additionally seems divided over the caste census situation, with ministers from each the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities brazenly opposing the report. (PTI)
Karnataka, for the fifth time in lower than a yr, has determined to postpone a cupboard choice on discussing the caste census report.
The cupboard was scheduled to debate the socio-economic and academic survey report to find out the backwardness of assorted communities on Thursday as introduced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Nonetheless, quickly after the inauguration of the brand new Congress occasion workplace in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah instructed reporters that the cupboard is not going to be discussing the report as introduced earlier.
Get together sources gave News18 a number of causes behind the transfer on Thursday. One minister mentioned the recommendation for development got here from AICC common secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, whereas one other chief attributed it to stress from leaders of main caste teams i.e. Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The leaders of those two communities have been threatening to agitate for fairly a while.
“It is going to be tabled on the proper time. The BJP is making an attempt to search for a problem to agitate as they’re unable to maintain their home so as. They need to have launched it once they had been in energy. Why didn’t they?” requested a senior Congress chief.
The loss in Haryana elections in addition to the by-elections that Karnataka noticed later in November additionally contributed to the choice to push the problem on the backburner.
The transfer has triggered a confrontation within the state, with the BJP accusing Siddaramaiah of utilizing the caste census as a handy tactic every time he or his occasion face political challenges or to deflect from actual issues, which embody offering funds to help the federal government’s ensures.
BJP’s Chief of Opposition within the legislative council, Chalavadi Narayanswamy, termed the delay “deflection ways”. “They solely imagine in appeasement politics and when it comes right down to the brass-tacks, they don’t act upon it.”
The BJP had earlier referred to as the Congress’s promise to desk and implement the controversial report as yet one more “assure gimmick” like their election guarantees, which they claimed to ship however didn’t comply with by way of. The occasion had additionally accused the Congress of utilizing the cate census as a problem to deflect from the MUDA and Valmiki controversies that had put the federal government in a spot at the moment.
TRACING THE ROOTS
The caste census was initiated by Siddaramaiah in 2015 throughout his first stint as chief minister however was shelved by subsequent administrations.
Though the problem resurfaced periodically, the Congress later criticised the 2015 caste knowledge as “unscientific” and directed the backward courses fee to depend on knowledge collected by the H Kantharaj Fee to organize a contemporary report at a value of round Rs 169 crore.
Although the report was prepared by 2016, it was shelved by successive governments.
In 2020, the BJP authorities appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as the brand new fee chief, however the findings remained unpublished. Nonetheless, they had been lastly submitted in a sealed envelope by Hegde to the Siddaramaiah-led authorities on February 29, 2024. Hegde, whereas submitting the report, had acknowledged that it had suggestions on reservations in training and public employment together with focused measures to uplift backward communities.
Because the Lok Sabha elections had been on the anvil, it was determined that no choice could be taken on the report till, a minimum of, July.
FISSURES IN CONGRESS?
The Siddaramaiah cupboard additionally seems divided over the caste census situation, with ministers from each the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities brazenly opposing the report by way of petitions submitted by their respective organisations.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, together with a number of Vokkaliga ministers, signed a petition towards the findings in November final yr, reflecting clear inside variations inside the ruling Congress. The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, representing the Lingayat group, additionally referred to as for a contemporary survey, arguing that the present one — which reportedly exhibits Dalits as the biggest group — challenges Karnataka’s demographic perceptions.
Minister Priyank Kharge clarified that the report is a socio-economic survey, not a caste census. “It’s not a caste census; it’s a socio-economic survey… we’ll know extra as soon as the report is tabled and after we check out the methodology,” he mentioned.
Including to the discord, the Veerashaiva-Lingayat group reiterated its disapproval final week by urging the federal government to scrap the prevailing report and conduct a contemporary survey. State industries minister MB Patil, a distinguished Veerashaiva-Lingayat chief and a Siddaramaiah loyalist, has additionally voiced opposition to the census.
On January 12, Shivakumar requested Vokkaliga Sangha officers to postpone the assembly on caste census “as it could create pointless confusion”. It was quickly after this advisory that the announcement of dialogue on a later date adopted.
DEEPENING FAULT-LINES
The Congress had made the caste census report part of their occasion’s guarantees through the 2023 meeting election marketing campaign. Related caste surveys in states like Bihar and Rahul Gandhi’s name for a nationwide caste census have additional sophisticated Siddaramaiah’s place.
Karnataka, with a inhabitants exceeding seven crore, contains almost 1,500 castes, sub-castes, and numerous social teams. The Lingayats and Vokkaligas are the 2 most influential communities within the state. Lingayats declare to represent 17-18 per cent of the inhabitants, whereas Vokkaligas estimate their share at 14-15 per cent.
Nonetheless, each communities have opposed the caste census as leaked knowledge suggests their precise numbers could also be considerably decrease. Leaders really feel the numbers of the Lingayats and Vokkaligas are very totally different and it could tilt the political construction.
Consultants say the leaked figures point out each teams make up lower than 10 per cent of the inhabitants, sparking considerations about their eligibility for social and welfare schemes. Each the Lingayats and Vokkaligas wield appreciable political and financial affect in Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah, extensively seen as essentially the most distinguished AHINDA chief within the state, belongs to the Kuruba group — a shepherd caste listed below the 2A class of Karnataka’s Different Backward Lessons (OBC). BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa is a distinguished Lingayat chief, whereas Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and his father — former prime minister HD Deve Gowda — in addition to deputy CM Shivakumar are key representatives of the Vokkaliga group.
The Kuruba group has lengthy been demanding inclusion within the Scheduled Tribes (ST) record. The Lingayats, one in every of Karnataka’s largest caste teams, are labeled below the 3B OBC class, with 5 per cent reservation. The Panchamasalis, a distinguished Lingayat sub-sect, have been pushing for inclusion within the extra useful 2A class.
