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Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Community groups to conclude digital surveys before Karnataka government exercise
Bengaluru: In an attempt to pre-empt any discrepancies in the population numbers of their castes and subcastes, the dominant communities of Vokkaligas and Lingayats are embarking on their own caste surveys ahead of the state govt's fresh socio-educational survey for which dates are yet to be announced. Vokkaligara Sangha president Kenchappa Gowda said the community has decided to go ahead with its survey by the end of this month or early next month. "The digital survey by the Sangha will be launched by the end of this month or early next month, irrespective of the state govt's re-enumeration. The survey will be launched by Adichunchanagiri mutt seer Nirmalanandanath Swamiji," said Gowda. According to him, the decision to conduct the digital survey has been driven by the scepticism about the govt's ability to manage the enumeration scientifically. "With our digital survey likely to be concluded before the state govt exercise, we will be able to match the numbers of both the surveys and conclude the actual figures," said Gowda. The Sangha has already identified vendors, who are also associated with the community leadership. Meanwhile, the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha (AIVM) will stick to their timeline of concluding its own survey by late Dec or early Jan. "As most of our community members are from farming backgrounds, Dec-Jan months will be off-season for them and they will be free to participate in our surveys," said AIVM secretary Renuka Prasanna. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Caste census: Vokkaligara sangha welcomes re-survey, OBC federation criticises decision
A day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced another socio-economic and educational survey (caste census) of Karnataka's population for the purpose of providing reservation to the backward classes, there were contrasting reactions from cate groups. The Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, at a press conference, welcomed the setting aside of the controversial 2015 survey report, while the Karnataka State Backward Classes Federation criticised the decision. Earlier, the All-India Veerashaiva Mahasabha had welcomed discarding the 2015 survey report and said it would extend cooperation if the government conducts a fresh one. However, while welcoming the discarding of the old survey, Vokkaligara sangha president Kenchappa Gowda questioned the need for a new one. 'When the Union government has announced collecting caste data as part of the general census, what is the need for us to have another one? The new one has been announced for political compulsion,' he argued. He said the sangha is considering holding a survey of the Vokkaliga community that would include the collection of information such as land holding, education, occupation, and income. 'The matter will be placed for discussion before a committee on June 18.' However, general secretary of the federation Yennegere R. Venkataramaiah said it was a 'disappointing development' that the old survey report had been kept aside. 'This is a contradictory policy after announcing that it will be accepted. Dominant communities have always bulldozed the backward classes, and it has happened again,' he said, adding that the full survey report should be made public. On the new survey to be conducted, Mr. Venkataramaiah said Aadhaar or ration card has to be linked to individuals to prevent anyone from casting aspersions on the survey. 'The government should appoint a high-powered committee, including leaders of communities and elected representatives, to monitor the survey that should be completed within the deadline,' he added.
India Today
24-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka dominant communities join forces to oppose caste survey report
The Karnataka Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, the apex body of the dominant Vokkaliga community, is exploring an alliance with the Lingayat community's Veerashaiva Mahasabha to oppose the recommendations of the caste census report in Lingayats and Vokkaligas are influential and dominant in Karnataka's political landscape. They have been particularly instrumental for politicians during election two influential groups are now looking to jointly counter any attempts to implement the findings of the 'Social and Educational Survey Report,' which was presented to the state cabinet on April Kenchappa Gowda, president of the Vokkaligara Sangha, confirmed ongoing discussions between the two communities.'We are in constant touch with Veerashaiva Mahasabha leaders. We are planning to hold a meeting, but the date has not been finalised yet,' Gowda told news agency PTI.A Veerashaiva Mahasabha office-bearer also echoed this sentiment, adding that the talks are focused on devising strategies to pressurise the government into reconsidering the caste census report.'The discussions are mainly to decide strategies to build pressure on the government not to proceed with the caste census report recommendations and to demand a fresh, free, and fair survey,' the office-bearer stated, requesting caste census report, which was presented to the Karnataka cabinet last month, has faced resistance from both the Vokkaligara Sangha and the Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities, two of the state's largest social groups. These communities argue that the report, after being commissioned ten years ago, does not adequately represent their interests and needs a thorough report, which was submitted to the state government by Jayaprakash Hegde, chairperson of the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, has stirred significant controversy in the state. Following its presentation to the cabinet, a special meeting was called on April 17, where it was decided that the matter would be revisited at a cabinet meeting scheduled for May 2.
