Karnataka caste census data leaked: Here are the major revelations

Karnataka caste census data leaked: Here are the major revelations

Vokkaliga and Lingayat leaders have objected to the leaked report in the past, fearing they will lose political representation if it is made public

Major caste-wise population figures from the Social and Educational Survey (colloquially called caste census) report, which was tabled at the Karnataka Cabinet meeting on Friday (April 11), have been leaked.

According to the leaked data, here is who hold the top five positions in terms of population:

1. Scheduled Castes (SC)

2. Lingayats

3. Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

4. Muslims

5. Vokkaligas

Also read: Upset by official count, Lingayats plan community census in Karnataka

Population breakdown

Scheduled Castes: 1,08,88,951

Lingayats: 81,37,536

OBCs: 77,82,509

Muslims: 75,25,789

Vokkaligas: 72,99,577

Scheduled Tribes (STs): 42,81,289.

This demographic data indicates that the AHINDA (an acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) group has grown significantly in the state, outnumbering both the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities. This has energized the Congress party’s efforts to strengthen its political stronghold.

Also read: Karnataka: Controversial Caste Census report tabled in Cabinet

Leak of report not new

The state government, which had faced intense opposition over the caste census leak earlier, had finally placed the report before the Cabinet. However, preventing the leak of detailed data remained a major challenge.

In the past, portions of the report were leaked, leading to strong opposition from dominant castes. Now, even as the figures have leaked again, Backward Classes Minister Shivraj Tangadagi claims that the newly leaked figures are not part of the caste census. He has been actively trying to protect the secrecy of the report.

Officials fear that publicizing the report’s details could lead to caste-based tensions in society. There were also concerns that dominant communities like the Lingayats and Vokkaligas might turn against the government, prompting a decision to keep the report confidential.

Minister Tangadagi, who is directly responsible for the report, is currently overseeing the summary sharing with fellow ministers. Once all ministers receive the summary, they are expected to express their views at a special Cabinet meeting scheduled for April 17.

Following that, the government is likely to form a subcommittee or appoint a retired high court judge to review the report before deciding on further action.

Also read: Muslims under OBC: Ideological fight around Telangana caste survey

Background of the report

The Backward Classes Commission, led by H Kantharaj, completed the Social and Educational Survey 10 years ago. Soon afterwards, caste-wise data began to leak. The numbers reportedly showed higher populations for SCs and Muslims, but lower counts for dominant communities, which led to political backlash.

Leaders from Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities raised objections, fearing they would lose political representation if the report was made public. They also questioned the report’s scientific credibility, pointing out that enumerators did not conduct house-to-house data collection, leading to claims of an unscientific process.

(This story originally appeared in The Federal Karnataka)