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India Today
17-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Siddaramaiah's son hits out at Congress for blocking Karnataka caste survey
Congress MLC and son of Karnataka Chief Minister, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, criticised his own party for failing to implement the findings of the caste survey in the state. He blamed resistance from influential individuals within certain communities for blocking the release and implementation of the report, accusing them of using minor objections as justification.'If we had released and implemented the caste survey, it would have strengthened the backward class communities. These communities have been marginalised for a long time, and the survey could have paved the way for increased reservation for them,' Yathindra alleged that despite the potential of the survey to bring structural benefits to historically disadvantaged groups, some influential people from particular communities had opposed it. 'They have cited trivial reasons, like it is a 10-year-old survey, that the entire population wasn't covered and did not allow to implement it,' he added. His remarks come following the Karnataka Cabinet's unanimous decision to carry out a fresh Socio-Economic and Education Survey, popularly referred to as the 'Karnataka caste census', ten years after the original survey was undertaken in 2015. On June 12, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who had initiated the original survey during his previous tenure, said the decision followed recommendations from the state's Backward Classes Commission and legal provisions under the Backward Classes Act, 1995, which mandates a fresh survey every decade. advertisementPolitical shifts, including the refusal of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and later the BJP government to accept the 2015 report, delayed its implementation. With the final recommendations submitted in February this year, the Cabinet has now resolved to authorise a new survey to be completed within 90 days. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the updated survey would reflect changing demographics and socio-economic conditions, with provisions for online participation by Kannadigas outside the state. IN THIS STORY#Karnataka#Bengaluru
India Today
12-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka Cabinet orders caste re-survey within 90 days citing 10-year gap
The Karnataka Cabinet has unanimously decided to conduct a fresh Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, often referred to as the 'Karnataka caste census', citing the expiry of the ten-year period since the last such exercise. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the decision following a Cabinet meeting that deliberated exclusively on the recommendations of the state's Backward Classes Commission, which had submitted its final report earlier this explained that the original survey was launched during his previous tenure as Chief Minister in 2015 and was carried out between April 11 and May 30 of that year. 'On 57 grounds we visited the houses and conducted the survey and submitted the survey,' he said, noting that around 1.6 lakh personnel were involved. The survey covered 5.98 crore people, a figure close to the projected population of 6.3 crore for 2015, up from 6.11 crore in the 2011 added that the recommendations were finalised by 2018, but due to a change in government and subsequent political decisions, the report was not accepted. 'In 2018, our party lost and I tendered the resignation. There was a coalition government. JDS chief Kumaraswamy was the new Chief Minister. The report was completed by then. C Puttarangashetty was then commissioner. Kumarswamy insisted not to take the report,' Siddaramaiah After the tenure of H Kantharaj, who chaired the earlier commission in 2015, Jayaprakash Hegde was appointed to lead the body, with BJP-appointed members forming the rest of the panel. The final recommendations, based on the Kantharaj report, were submitted on February 29, 2024. However, with the Model Code of Conduct in force due to the Lok Sabha elections, the Cabinet could not take it up until after the said that senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, held consultations with him and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on the matter. 'They suggested the report was prepared and ready in 2015. It's been 10 years already. According to the Backward Classes Act 1995, it's very clear that a new survey is to be conducted after 10 years,' he Section 11 of Clause 1 of the Act, Siddaramaiah said the Cabinet decided that the time had legally come to undertake a new exercise. 'We did not bow down to the high command. We are taking this decision according to the law,' he said. He also reiterated that Kumaraswamy had previously refused to receive the report and had even threatened Puttarangashetty. The BJP government that followed also did not accept the that the report has formally been received and reviewed, the Cabinet has decided to authorise the commission to conduct a new survey within 90 Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, 'The Chief Minister has already explained the decision taken in the Cabinet. It's clear—this is about the backward classes section. Once in 10 years, such things need to be revisited. The original survey was conducted from April 11, 2015, to May 30, 2015, and now it's already 10 years old.'He added that the survey would reflect current socio-economic realities, as population patterns, education levels, and public demands had changed. 'We want to do justice to everyone,' he said. Shivakumar also noted that the Backward Classes Commission would be given three months to complete the task and that the process would be made accessible online, allowing participation from Kannadigas residing in other states.'I don't want to comment on anything specific—this is a 10-year-old issue, and it needs to be addressed now,' Shivakumar said. IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Cong brass ordered new caste survey: K'taka CM
The decision to conduct a caste re-enumeration in Karnataka was taken by the Congress high command and not the state cabinet, chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday, setting a timeline of 60-70 days to complete the exercise. Accepting the earlier report 'in principle', Siddaramaiah said that there were some complaints regarding it as it has been 10 years since the survey was conducted. 'I am following the high command's directive. It is not my or the Cabinet's decision. It is not a decision of the government. It is a decision of the high command. The high command has asked for the re-enumeration and a re-survey to be carried out,' Siddaramaiah said. 'The high command said that some complaints have come because the survey had happened in 2015-16, it has almost been nine-ten years old. So in a short period, in about 60-70 days a re-enumeration will be done. We are not rejecting the entire report (given by the Backward Classes Commission). Principally the report is accepted, only re-enumeration will be done,' Siddaramaiah said. Following a meeting of the Congress leadership on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah said that a fresh caste survey will be conducted to address complaints from several communities who alleged that they were either excluded or underrepresented in the controversial 2015 exercise. The meeting came after weeks of discontent over the findings of the caste survey originally carried out in 2015 at a cost of ₹162 crore during Siddaramaiah's earlier tenure as chief minister. Several ministers, MLAs, and MPs had raised objections, citing that the data did not fully represent the diverse caste composition of the state. Siddaramaiah, a key AHINDA (a Kannada acronym for Alpasankhyataru or minorities, Hindulidavaru or backward classes, and Dalitaru or Dalits) leader, pointed out that a number of stakeholders — including religious leaders, community organisations, and even members of his cabinet — had raised doubts about the comprehensiveness of the original report. Criticism of the survey has intensified in the recent months, particularly from influential community groups. The Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Karnataka's two dominant communities, strongly objected to the findings, demanding that the report be scrapped and a fresh survey conducted. Asked if he was disappointed with the party high command's directive for re-enumeration instead of acting on the report under the consideration of the cabinet, he said, 'We will go by the high command's decision. It is not my decision, it is not the decision of the cabinet or our government, it is a decision of the high command. High command has asked for re-enumeration.' Addressing media in Kalaburagi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said re-enumeration is essential as the data available is 10 years old. 'The criterias that were used in the earlier survey will remain, along with that if anything was left out it will be added. But the re-survey is essential because the data available is ten years old and in ten years many have come into OBC, many were added. So considering all these things a fresh survey has to be done, nothing other than that,' he said. the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes' survey report was placed before the cabinet for the first time on April 11. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government (2013-2018) had in 2015 commissioned the survey in the state. The State Backward Classes Commission, under its then chairperson H Kantharaju, was tasked with preparing a caste census report. The survey work was completed in 2018 towards the end of Siddaramaiah's first tenure as Chief Minister, and the report was finalised by Kantharaju's successor K Jayaprakash Hegde in February 2024. Experts said that a fresh survey could help the Congress consolidate OBC votes. 'A caste census alone won't achieve much unless it's used as a tool to mobilise the OBCs, who have never come together as a unified group. In AHINDA, the loose link is the OBCs, Kurubas support the Congress because of Siddaramaiah, not necessarily due to any resentment towards the BJP,' said political analyst A Narayana. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly R Ashoka said the move is an 'embarrassment' and 'defeat' for CM Siddaramaiah, while it is a political win for deputy CM DK Shivakumar. 'We had all opposed this report. The Congress High Command also felt that this report was not right. The High Command has given a slap in the face to Siddaramaiah. Despite the CM's insistence that he would implement the report no matter what, he has now gone back on his words, so it would be appropriate for him to resign. ₹160 crore has been wasted, and they don't have the funds to conduct another survey. They must answer for this,' he said. BJP leader N Ravi Kumar alleged that the Congress high command and its top leader Rahul Gandhi were never in agreement with Siddaramaiah's caste census right from the beginning. 'In fact, Rahul Gandhi had urged the Centre to consider Telangana's example as a model while taking up the caste census. He would have mentioned Karnataka's caste census as the model if he had faith in it,' the BJP MLC argued.
News18
11-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
Is Caste Census Push Siddaramaiah Sarkar's Smokescreen For Chinnaswamy Stampede?
Last Updated: Political analysts said by focusing on caste census, the government was trying to deflect attention from charges of corruption and mishandling that led to the stampede Is the Karnataka government using the caste census re-enumeration as a distraction from the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede that left 11 dead and over 50 injured? As the Siddaramaiah government tries to steer public attention towards caste data and social justice, the timing is impossible to ignore. The Chinnaswamy stampede has dented the Congress government's credibility and administrative image. Whether this renewed push for caste enumeration is an effort to ensure inclusivity or a tactical deflection from a governance failure is a question political voices in Karnataka are now asking aloud. Just days after firefighting public outrage over the mishandling of the IPL celebration event, the Siddaramaiah government has shifted focus to a long-pending issue—the caste census report, which will now be discussed at the cabinet meeting scheduled for June 12. Both chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar rushed to Delhi to brief the Congress high command on two fronts—damage control over the Bengaluru tragedy and a way forward on the contentious caste census data. What emerged from the Delhi meeting was a sudden push for re-enumeration, effectively revisiting the caste survey first commissioned in 2015 during Siddaramaiah's first tenure. While the Congress insists this move is to address complaints of exclusion and underrepresentation in the earlier survey, senior officials who have worked closely with the project question the timing and motive. 'This is clearly deflection tactics. The caste survey has been delayed and dragged long enough. From the time it was conducted, to when it was tabled, and now back under discussion. The fact that Congress leaders in Delhi have asked for a reassessment shows they're shifting focus away from the Chinnaswamy mishap," said a senior official in the know of the developments. Confusion reigns even among those involved in the survey. Some officials say the Congress has accepted the 2015 report 'in principle", while simultaneously planning a re-survey. 'Why spend another Rs 200–250 crore of public money?" one official asked. At the Delhi meeting, attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, the leadership agreed to go ahead with a re-enumeration exercise within a timeframe of 60–90 days. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal told the media that the process would be fast-tracked and that the party was keen to ensure all sections felt included. Former Backward Classes Commission chairman CS Dwarakanath questioned how the census will be conducted, given that now it is in the submission stage where it has to be debated in the cabinet. 'It is a marathon exercise that requires over one lakh people to be involved," he said. 'Rs 167 crore was spent on the caste survey, and if it needs to be conducted again, then it would require more funds and also needs to be done scientifically—including an ethnographic study, collection of empirical data, and gathering of secondary sources of information. All this has to be done in a scientific manner, but would it be possible to do all this in a timeframe of 60–90 days?" he questioned. A senior official connected with the caste census report offered a more nuanced view. 'There are two parallel ideas at play. On one hand, the party has accepted the report's recommendations in principle. But since the original data is now nearly a decade old, and a caste census is ideally conducted every ten years, there's also a strong argument to refresh the numbers. Let's wait till the cabinet decision." However, the stampede incident was also discussed. Venugopal said the state government had briefed the party about the June 4 stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebration. 'We are deeply concerned about every human life. The government has already ordered a judicial probe," he said. However, both the party and Siddaramaiah himself have distanced themselves from the specifics of the tragedy, with the chief minister stating he wasn't involved in organising the event and had been informed late about the crowd surge. Meanwhile, Shivakumar said the re-survey will be done in a way that no community feels side-lined. 'Those who felt left out earlier will be given another opportunity," he said, adding that the cabinet would plan the re-enumeration process to ensure fair representation for all. The original 2015 caste survey had triggered major political friction. Once submitted formally this April, the report deepened rifts between dominant communities like the Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats and various OBC groups. It proposed restructuring the existing five caste categories into six and suggested scrapping creamy layer exemptions for castes in Category 1, the most backward. This didn't go down well within the Congress either, with Vokkaliga and Lingayat leaders alleging their communities were undercounted. The Congress government had also launched a parallel initiative for internal reservation among Scheduled Castes. On May 5, the state began a fresh enumeration of 101 SC sub-castes, involving over 65,000 schoolteachers and data collection camps. The process is aimed at restructuring reservation within SCs—similar to the model adopted by Congress-ruled Telangana—to ensure more equitable distribution of benefits among the most disadvantaged groups. Justice HN Nagamohan Das, who heads the internal reservation panel, flagged challenges with this door-to-door survey. Many poor households were unwilling to reveal their sub-castes or were unaware of them entirely. So far, the internal reservation survey has covered 19.55 lakh of the estimated 25.72 lakh SC households. Special camps were held between May 26 and 28 to cover more ground. The commission aims to complete the process soon and submit its report within two months. The caste census has long been a political minefield in Karnataka. The Congress has faced repeated flak over delays in tabling the report and pushing back cabinet-level discussions. Siddaramaiah had earlier said the recommendations of the Backward Classes Commission would be implemented, but his remarks were met with sharp resistance from dominant communities. Political analyst Sandeep Shastri said: 'It clearly is deflection tactics. By focusing on this, you are trying to deflect attention from the charges of corruption and the mishandling—and refusal to take political accountability—in the recent Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede." 'It also represents the multiple layers of contradictions the Congress party and its cabinet face. We have a chief minister who wants to focus on the empowerment of the non-dominant OBCs and the presence of dormant caste groups and their representatives who cannot let down their communities," he added. He also pointed out that the decision taken by the government—by letting heads roll in the police force—has long-term ramifications. 'In the process, you've done something that can be damaging in the long term by demoralising the police force, fixing accountability on them, and suspending All India Services officers. That has never happened in any state," Shastri said. He recalled how former Karnataka chief minister Bangarappa had once suspended Karnataka chief secretary Shankarnarayan for calling him 'unreliable", but such a move against the police has never happened in any state on such grounds. The move on the caste census, he said, is clearly meant to shift focus away from this political mismanagement. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18's digital platform. She has previously worked with More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : caste census Chinnaswamy stadium DK Shivakumar ipl Royal Challengers Bangalore Siddaramaiah stampede Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: June 11, 2025, 09:08 IST News politics Is Caste Census Push Siddaramaiah Sarkar's Smokescreen For Chinnaswamy Stampede?
Time of India
04-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Nalwadi was architect of egalitarian society: Mandya DC
Mandya: Deputy commissioner Kumara on Wednesday referred to the Mysuru Maharaja, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, as the architect of an egalitarian society and social justice, who envisioned a fair society. The maharaja established the Backward Classes Commission and implemented reservations for the uplift of the backward communities, he stated. Speaking after the inauguration of the Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Jayanti celebration at the Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar auditorium, he said that the maharaja's contributions are such that future generations will continue to remember him. He served the people in a way that they remember him every day. Even during the British era, among nearly 600 princely states, he was a distinguished ruler. People from Mysuru, Mandya, and Hassan regions keep portraits of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in their homes and worshipped him. He expressed happiness that the maharaja was responsible for Mandya district becoming agriculturally dominant. It is also due to him that Bengaluru, now recognised globally as the Silicon City and the first Asian city to have electric streetlights, earned such reputations. Noticing his developmental works, Mahatma Gandhi honoured him with the title 'Rajashri' (Saintly King), he stated. Special pujas at royal cemetery Mysuru: As part of the 141st birth anniversary of Mysuru's king Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, special pujas were performed at Madhuvana, the royal cemetery, in the city on Wednesday. Mysuru Palace Board deputy director TS Subramanya, Urs community leader Amaranatha Raje Urs, Karnataka Senapade president Tejesh Lokesh Gowda, and others were present. They offered floral tribute to the Maharaja and recalled his contribution.
