
New caste census faces resistance from sections of OBCs
Some representatives of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are urging the govt to implement the recommendations of the original report drawn up by the Kantharaj Commission, which was submitted to the govt by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (BC commission) last year.
This report favours OBCs, especially communities like Kurubas, who were classified under a separate 1-B category with 12% reservation.
The report also proposed doubling reservation for Muslims from 4% to 8%, a recommendation that has reportedly disappointed some in the Muslim community due to its perceived insufficiency.
T
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Here's What Foundation Repair Should Cost You In Pennsylvania
Smart Lifestyle Trends
Learn More
Undo
he Shoshitha Vargagala Maha Okkota (Great Federation of Exploited Communities), an umbrella organisation representing OBCs, backward classes, and minorities, has threatened a statewide agitation against a new census.
K Ramachadrappa, president of the Maha Okkota and former head of Karnataka Pradesha Kurubara Sangha, criticised the govt for discarding the Kantharaj Commission report after spending Rs 168 crore on it. "The govt claims the survey must be conducted once every 10 years, but that is irrelevant since the Kantharaj report was never implemented," he said. "Our demand is to implement its recommendations. We will meet on Friday (June 20) to decide on modalities of the agitation.
"
In contrast, Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, which had opposed the Kantharaj report, have expressed support for a fresh enumeration. B Kenchappa Gowda, president of Vokkaligara Sangha, said the Sangha plans to conduct an online survey of Vokkaliga communities to "complement" the govt's proposed census. Similarly, Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha is preparing an outreach programme to spread awareness on the upcoming survey.
Officials indicate that the official order to commence the census may be issued on Thursday (June 19), the birthday of Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha LoP and senior Congress functionary. Rahul, a major proponent of social justice through caste-based surveys, is said to have encouraged the state govt to adopt a model like Telangana's survey.
Backward classes welfare minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said: "Procedure will be followed.
We are considering suggestions on the survey's modalities and schedule. I will consult chief minister Siddaramaiah, and an order will be issued soon based on his directions."
The cabinet has set a 90-day timeline to complete the enumeration. However, the govt is yet to nominate members to the BC commission. Moreover, the involvement of schoolteachers in the survey may disrupt the academic calendar.
Madhusudan R Naik, chairman of the BC commission, confirmed that preliminary work on the survey has begun, with efforts underway to fill the commission's vacant positions.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu appeals to Telugu diaspora to invest in state
Vijayawada: Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has said that his visit to Singapore has been planned to undo the gross blunders committed by the previous YSRCP regime. He said that Andhra Pradesh 's global image was badly hit due to YSRCP's unruly policies and corrupt practices. Naidu made an emotional appeal to Telugu diaspora to invest in Andhra Pradesh to bring it on to development track. Naidu on Sunday addressed a mammoth gathering of over 2,500 people of the Telugu diaspora from Southeast Asia in Singapore. Telugu people from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia atended the event. He remarked that Telugu people have adapted to the changing global scenarios. He said that the reforms brought by the TDP-led governments have transformed the lives of Telugu people. Naidu said that the Singapore government prepared a master plan for Amaravati for free following his personal request. He said he had entrusted the construction of the seed capital Singapore govt after seeing their amazing performance in construction of townships in many countries. However, the regime change in the state in 2019 election has led to blaming the Singapore govt which created unnecessary gap with the state govt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "I came to Singapore to rectify the past mistakes and set the records straight. I came to re-establish the AP brand in Singapore. I regret the inconvenience caused to Singapore during the previous regime. The Singapore government may not come forward again for the construction of seed capital, but I wanted to share the facts the political leadership of Singapore. Amaravati would have reached Singapore's level had TDP won 2019 elections," said Naidu. Naidu said that they would ensure that such mistakes do not happen again. He said that he had great admiration and respect for Singapore. It stands as a testament to integrity and honesty. Corruption is minimal here. "We are developing a Quantum Valley in Amaravati and have announced a Green Hydrogen Valley. There is a long coastline, and many ports can be built. Port-based industries can be established on a large scale. There will be 20 ports in AP, with the potential for 15-20 airports. There is immense scope for development. Andhra Pradesh will be the logistics hub of India. We are working with the Gates Foundation and Tata in the health sector. Many Telugu people hold key positions in prominent organisations abroad. Such individuals can share their experiences with AP. They can invest or be service providers. Whatever you wish to do, the government is ready to fully cooperate," Naidu assured. CM assured that he would ensure direct flights are operated from Singapore to Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati in AP. HRD and IT minister Nara Lokesh, municipal administration minister Narayana, Industries minister TG Bharat, NRTS chairman Dr Vemuru Ravikumar and others were also present.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
What will it cost to renovate the 'free' Air Force One? Don't ask
President Trump makes no secret of his displeasure over the cost of renovating Federal Reserve headquarters - around $2.5 billion, or even higher by his accounting. But getting White House to discuss another of Washington's expensive renovation projects, the cost of refurbishing a "free" Air Force One from Qatar, is quite another matter. Officially, and conveniently, the price tag has been classified. But even by Washington standards, where "black budgets" are often used as an excuse to avoid revealing the cost of outdated spy satellites and lavish end-of-year parties, the techniques being used to hide the cost of Trump's pet project are inventive. Which may explain why no one wants to discuss a mysterious, $934 million transfer of funds from one of the Pentagon's most over-budget, out-of-control projects - the modernisation of America's aging, ground-based nuclear missiles. In recent weeks, congressional budget sleuths have come to think that amount, slipped into an obscure Pentagon document sent to Capitol Hill as a "transfer" to an unnamed classified project, almost certainly includes the renovation of the new, gold-adorned Air Force One that Trump desperately wants in the air before his term is over. (It's not clear if the entire transfer will be devoted to stripping the new Air Force One back to its airframe, but Air Force officials privately acknowledge dipping into nuclear modernisation funds for the project. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo ) Qatar's defence minister and US defence secretary Pete Hegseth signed the final MoU a few weeks ago, paving the way for the renovation to begin soon at a Texas facility known for secret technology projects. Concerns over the many apparent conflicts of interests involved in the transaction, given Trump's govt dealings and business ties with Qataris, have swirled since reports of the gift emerged this spring. But Trump himself said he was unconcerned. "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer," the president said in May. "I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane. '" It is free in the sense that a used car handed over by a neighbour looking to get it out of his driveway is free. In this case, among the many modifications will be hardened communications and antimissile systems. And there is the delicate matter of ridding the jet of any hidden electronic listening devices that officials suspect may be embedded in the walls. Then it has to be stuffed with the luxuries with which the 47th president surrounds himself So it's no surprise that one of Washington's biggest guessing games these days is assessing just where the price tag will end up, on top of the $4 billion already being spent on the wildly-behind-schedule presidential planes that Boeing was supposed to deliver last year. It was those delays that led Trump to look for a gift. "The security implications of accepting a private plane from a foreign nation as Air Force One and the resulting ethical concerns ... were already significant," said senator Jeanne Shaheen (D), who serves on Armed Services Committee. But it was more worrisome, Shaheen said, that "this administration is diverting funds from nuclear modernisation budget to finance costly renovations to this plane." In doing so, she said, "we're weakening our credibility to fund a vanity project for President Trump. "


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
BJD corporator held for raping minor in '23; suspended from party
Bhubaneswar: BJD corporator Amaresh Jena (49), who was evading arrest after a girl recently lodged a case against him for alleged rape in 2023, when she was a minor, was arrested on Sunday. An embarrassed BJD, which had been criticising the BJP govt over an alleged rise in crimes against women, suspended the Bhubaneswar corporator from the party. "We traced Jena to one of his acquaintance's residence in Nilagiri area of Balasore district. The acquaintance's suspected role of providing him shelter is being examined. On Saturday, we had arrested five associates of Jena for aiding his escape," assistant commissioner of police (zone-4) Abhimanyu Nayak said. Jena's arrest comes days after the city police arrested Udit Pradhan, state president of Congress's student wing, in a rape case . Jena's arrest followed a complaint lodged by the survivor on July 23. The complainant, currently aged 19, claimed Jena had sexually abused her in 2023, when she was underage. According to her FIR, their initial meeting took place in June 2023 during Raja festivities, which subsequently led to friendship. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Flights, Rentals & Accommodations Hotel Deals | Search Ads Browse Now Undo She alleged that she was two months pregnant following the sexual assault and had to go for an abortion in Feb last year, following Jena's assurance that he would marry her after divorcing his wife. But since April this year, Jena has been avoiding her, she claimed, and also issued death threats, asking her to leave the city. In her police complaint, she threatened self-immolation if the issue went unaddressed. Refusing to respond on the delayed reporting of the incident, ACP Nayak said, "Based on the girl's statement, we found prima facie evidence against the accused and arrested him." Jena was booked under BNS Sections 64(2) (m) (repeated rape), 89 (causing miscarriage without the woman's consent), 296 (obscene acts in public), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) and under Section 6 of the Pocso Act (aggravated sexual assault of minor). While being taken to court, Jena pointed fingers at a woman who was arrested in Bhubaneswar in 2022 for allegedly operating a high-profile sextortion network. "I am sure she framed me," said Jena, who had filed a defamation complaint with the police against the woman on July 22. Jena's family members and relatives, protesting near the police station, also claimed he was framed. "On July 22, Jena had lodged a complaint against a woman for defaming and attempting to extort money from him. The very next day, an unknown girl lodged a rape case against him," a family member alleged. The woman, however, dismissed the allegations. "I am in no way linked with the case. I do not know the rape case's complainant. Jena is unnecessarily dragging me into the controversy," she said.