Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar
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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (right) has asked ministers to give their opinion in writing or verbally before the next cabinet meeting. | File photo

Karnataka Cabinet's caste survey report discussion deferred to May 2

Today's meeting ends with a war of words between leaders and no conclusion; Siddaramaiah calls for detailed data and thorough discussion ahead of next meeting


A special Cabinet meeting that was convened to discuss the contentious Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as 'caste census' in Karnataka on Thursday (April), ended without any major decision. The discussion has been postponed to the next Cabinet meeting on May 2, as no constructive discussion on its implementation could take place.

Minister Ramalinga Reddy, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked ministers to give their opinion in writing or verbally before the next cabinet meeting.

Various communities, especially Karnataka's two dominant ones — Vokkaligas and Veershaiva-Lingayats —have expressed strong reservations about the survey that has been done, calling it "unscientific", and have demanded that it be rejected, and a fresh survey be conducted.

Also read | Karnataka caste census: Discontent over omission of Muslim sub-castes

Heated debate

The Cabinet meeting, which began at 4 pm, saw ministers express their opinions on the report. A heated debate ensued between ministers from dominant communities and those representing BCs. Siddaramaiah had to intervene and pacify everyone.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, speaking after the Cabinet meeting, said more information and technical details are required for the discussion, and officials have been instructed to provide the necessary statistics. Discussions were held on what basis the report was prepared and the standards followed for data collection, he added.

Though the matter was to be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting, the agenda for the upcoming meeting at Male Mahadeshwara Hills has already been fixed. Hence, it was decided to hold another special Cabinet meeting on May 2 for this purpose.

Verbal clash

A verbal clash broke out between leaders of the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities — who strongly opposed the implementation of the caste census — and BC leaders who are pushing for it.

Backward class leaders hit back at threats by the dominant communities that they would topple the government if the report is implemented. “The government is not the personal property of Vokkaligas or Lingayats," said the BC leaders.

Leaders and organisations representing Dalits and OBCs among others, are in support of the survey. They want the government to make the report public and proceed with it, stating the government has spent about Rs 160 crore public money on it.

The article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka.

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