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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka to begin caste survey from September 22: CM Siddaramaiah
The state government will conduct a comprehensive socio-educational survey, or more popularly known as the caste survey, covering its entire 70 million population from September 22 to October 7, chief minister Siddaramaiah announced on Wednesday, positioning the exercise as a 'model for the entire country.' The Congress decided to conduct the new survey during a high-level meeting in New Delhi on June 10, responding to complaints from communities that claimed they were either excluded or underrepresented in the previous exercise. (PTI) The 15-day survey, proposed by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, aims to gather data on economic status, land ownership and social identity to serve as the foundation for the state's next budget and policy decisions. 'The main objective is to eliminate caste-based discrimination,' Siddaramaiah said during a preparatory meeting. 'A comprehensive survey must be conducted on the financial condition of every individual, including whether they own land. The report will be used as a basis during the preparation of the next budget.' The fresh survey addresses mounting criticism of the previous Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, with influential communities—particularly Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats—demanding the earlier report be scrapped due to alleged underrepresentation. The Congress decided to conduct the new survey during a high-level meeting in New Delhi on June 10, responding to complaints from communities that claimed they were either excluded or underrepresented in the previous exercise. 'Preparations such as training must begin right away. The survey must be carried out very effectively, and precautions should be taken to ensure that there are no grounds for complaints,' Siddaramaiah emphasised on Wednesday. 'It must be ensured that no one is excluded from this exercise.' Unlike the previous Kantharaj Commission survey, which used 54 questions and was conducted manually, the new exercise will use mobile applications and include additional components. Officials have been directed to study the methodology used in Telangana's similar survey. 'That commission had prepared 54 questions and conducted the survey manually. This time, we are looking into the inclusion of more components. The survey will be carried out using a mobile app,' the chief minister said. The massive undertaking will require 165,000 enumerators, including teachers and staff from various government departments. 'All departments must work in coordination to make this a success,' A high-level oversight committee will supervise implementation, with special planning for urban areas. 'A specific plan must be drawn up for conducting the survey successfully in the Bengaluru urban region,' he added. The chief minister stressed the need for scientific rigour and transparency: 'The survey must be scientific and transparent. A panel of experts should help finalise the questions to be asked.' The groundwork for Karnataka's caste census was laid during Siddaramaiah's initial tenure as chief minister through an extensive 2015 survey costing ₹162 crore. Although he announced acceptance of that report in June, its contents and release date remain undisclosed. Leaked data from the earlier survey indicated Scheduled Castes accounted for 19.5% of the state's population, followed by Muslims at 16%, Lingayats at 14% and Vokkaligas at 11%. Within the Other Backward Classes, the Kuruba community alone comprised 7% of Karnataka's population, contributing to the OBCs' overall representation of 20% in the state. Collectively, these groups—including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Muslims and Kurubas—formed a substantial 47.5% of the population, findings that could significantly impact the state's political landscape, according to federations of marginalised sections. The final report is expected by the end of October and will directly influence budget allocations and policy formulations for the state's diverse communities.
The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Fresh Karnataka caste survey to begin on September 22
The second Socio-Economic and Educational Survey (popularly called caste census) by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes will be conducted from September 22 to October 7. The commission has been told to submit the final report with recommendations before the end of October. The commission has been told to study a similar survey conducted by the Telengana government. This comes amidst some misgivings expressed by experts over the conduct of a fresh survey of the entire population in a short time frame. Survey to cover 7 crore population of Karnataka The survey of the seven crore population of Karnataka will be done by 1.65 lakh enumerators over 15 days. Apart from teachers, employees from various departments of the government would be roped in for the exercise this time. The second survey comes after the government decided to keep aside the first survey conducted in 2015 by the commission headed by H. Kantharaj, the report of which was submitted by the commission headed by K. Jayaprakash Hegde in 2024. Following pressure from land-owning and politically dominant Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats, the government shied away from accepting the report and implementing its recommendations, but the official reason cited was that the survey is based on decade-old data, and a fresh survey was necessary. 'The commission has submitted a proposal to the government to conduct the survey. Addressing discrimination of castes is the main focus of the survey, which should become a model for the country,' Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said after chairing a meeting on July 23 to discuss modalities of the survey. The survey, he said, would be the basis for preparation of the next budget, and that the comprehensive survey would include economic conditions, including land and property holdings, of every person in Karnataka. 'The commission has been told to submit the report before October-end.' He said that precautions should be taken to prevent any scope for complaints. 'Survey work should be transparent, and efforts should be made to ensure that no one is excluded.' The commission should start training and other preparatory work, he added. Will use an app Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the survey would be conducted using an app while the previous survey by the Kantharaj Commission was done manually. 'The previous survey had 54 questions for respondents. We will have more questions this time. A technical committee will be set up to finalise the questions. The survey should be scientific and transparent.' He has directed the commission to have a high-power committee to monitor the survey work in Bengaluru where the previous survey lagged due to non-cooperation of people, and lack of manpower, among other reasons. Backward Classes Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, Commission Chairperson Madhusudan R. Naik and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajaneesh were among those present in the meeting.
The Hindu
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Karnataka Congress needs more than holding OBC meet here to woo the communities to party, say activists
As the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has formed the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Advisory Council, which is set to meet in Bengaluru on July 15 to deliberate on the party's strategies to woo the OBCs, community leaders and activists believe that the party's exercise could be futile without a concrete show of its commitment in Karnataka, which is among the three States where it is in power. Last week, the council's formation itself was stuck in a political storm in the State, where an embarrassing leadership tussle is under way to replace Siddaramaiah, the only OBC Chief Minister from the Congress in the country now. Meanwhile, those who have worked among the backward classes believe that the Congress government headed by Mr. Siddaramaiah has done little in concrete terms to benefit the most backward and more backward castes within the larger OBCs in the State. The 24-member national panel formed by the AICC to discuss and strategise ways to woo the OBCs in the country includes Mr. Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily, and B.K. Hariprasad, MLC, from Karnataka. Setting aside the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey (caste census), conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes headed by H. Kantharaj in 2015 and the recommendations submitted by the K. Jayaprakash Hegde commission in 2024, apparently under pressure from the land-owning and politically dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas, is viewed as a failure of the Congress government's OBC politics in Karnataka. In fact, the Federation of Oppressed Classes, whose many leaders are from the Congress, have also criticised the decision. Though a new survey has been announced, leaders and experts have been skeptical about it. Missed opportunity 'The Congress lost an opportunity to bring the most backward castes that are in the society's margins into the mainstream,' said a senior functionary in the party. 'The government sacrificed the interests of the most backward and more backward castes, which do not have political clout or representation in politics or bureaucracy, under pressure from two dominant communities that have bulldozed themselves into the OBC list. The government could have released the report and recommendations for public discussion, and formulated programmes for the most backward and more backward classes without getting stuck in the number game.' Over the past few years, fearing dilution of their clout in politics over the population size as indicated in the survey, Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas have virulently opposed the findings, terming them as 'unscientific' and 'outdated'. A source formerly associated with the commission, asked, 'Who is the Congress trying to woo back? In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the backward classes have their own parties. In Karnataka, Vokkaligas have what we could call their own party (Janata Dal-Secular), and Veerashaiva-Lingayats are seen as mostly with the BJP. The most and more backward classes are scattered but leaning towards the BJP more now.' He pointed out that the BJP recognised the importance of organising the numerically smaller backward castes by providing political representation and also choosing unheralded heroes from such communities for national awards, he pointed out. He sought to know if the OBC cell is even active in the Congress in Karnataka. Dominant within OBC matrix While nearly 70% of Karnataka's population has been identified as OBCs, about 40% of the OBC population comprises the politically dominant Lingayats (11%), Vokkaligas (10.29%), and Kurubas (7.3%), which total to about 28% of the State's population. Nearly half a dozen castes, including Ediga, Uppara, and Yadava, are seen to have progressed ahead of smaller castes. The nomadic, semi-nomadic, and minor communities, who constitute about 50% of the OBC population, have a meagre chance to compete in education or employment and do not receive political representation due to their small population size, sources in the commission said. 'If the Congress is looking at the numbers, it should look at the oppressed castes within the larger OBC fold. The Congress government has not made any attempt to do that while it is pandering to the politically important and numerically large three castes. The advisory council also does not have representation from the oppressed castes,' rued another source, who has worked in the backward classes commission.
India.com
01-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Can Congress Afford To Upset DK Shivakumar? Karnataka Power Equations Explained Amid Buzz Over Siddaramaiahs Removal
Karnataka Congress Rift: The infighting within the Karnataka Congress - happening since the 2023 assembly election victory - has intensified with more MLAs backing leadership change, though the party high command has remained firm behind Siddaramaiah. On the other hand, those supporting DK Shivakumar for the top post have come out in the open, calling for a leadership change in the state. What Is Happening? The development has gained significance as AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala is holding one-on-one meetings with party MLAs for the second consecutive day in Bengaluru. Iqbal Hussain, MLA from Ramanagara and a close associate of Deputy CM Shivakumar, openly stated that there is a need for a change in leadership in the state. Hussain also claimed that over 100 MLAs out of 137 Congress legislators in the state are in favour of making Shivakumar the Chief Minister. He said that without a change at the top, Congress cannot win a majority in the 2028 Assembly polls. HC Balakrishna, MLA from Magadi and Shivakumar's supporter, echoed similar views, stating that Shivakumar is likely to become the Chief Minister. 'Shivakumar has contributed to the opportunity should be given to him as well," Balakrishna said. Shivakumar later sent a message of peace to the MLAs. "This is about bringing discipline. Apart from that, there is no issue of leadership change. The matter has not come up at all. None of us is concerned. Our focus is the 2028 Karnataka state Assembly elections," Shivakumar stated. He added, 'Siddaramaiah is the CM, and we need to strengthen both his leadership and the government,' Shivakumar emphasised. DK Shivakumar Vs Siddaramaiah The power tussle between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, often seen as a cold war, resurfaces, often leaving the party high command irked. Karnataka has around 5.4 crore voters, and notably, both top leaders - DKS and Siddaramaiah - hail from prominent castes. DKS hails from the Vokkaliga community, whose estimated population is 61.58 lakh. Congress has 21 MLAs from the Vokkaliga community, including Shivakumar. On the other hand, Siddaramaiah hails from the Kuruba Gowda community, whose population is estimated to be around 43.72 lakh, the fourth largest community in the State after Muslims, Veerashaiva-Lingayats, and Vokkaligas. For Congress, both these castes are important and given the JDS' alliance with the BJP and the saffron party's strong support base in Vokkaligas, the ruling party cannot afford to upset either. It has to tread cautiously and thus, the right approach seems a change in leadership post next election, if the party retains power.
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Four nominated for Karnataka Backward Classes panel
The government has started preparations for a new socio-educational survey with chief minister Siddaramaiah nominating four new members to the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. The government has started preparations for a new socio-educational survey with chief minister Siddaramaiah nominating four new members to the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. (PTI) 'Four new members have been appointed to the commission — former IGP K Arkesh from Channapatna, advocate Shivanna Gowda from Mysuru, Mangaluru-based assistant professor B Sumana, and CM Kundagol, a retired principal from Dharwad. With these additions, the panel is now fully operational under the leadership of Madhusudhan R Naik, a former advocate-general who was appointed as the chairman in January,' said a senior official familiar with the development. It was communicated to the commission on Sunday. 'The commission is expected to hold discussions soon and advise the government on how to proceed with the proposed enumeration of the population,' the official said. The official further said that the recommendations have been communicated to the commission, however, the official orders are yet to be issued. While the commission may be entrusted with the task, officials have indicated the possibility of setting up a new committee for the purpose. Siddaramaiah has also asked his ministers to share their suggestions before finalising modalities. Unlike the 2015 exercise, which relied heavily on schoolteachers and suffered delays, the upcoming survey will likely lean on digital tools to speed up data collection, the official quote above said. With schools now in session, the government is considering deploying teachers after class hours and paying them for their time, said another official. However, the revival of socio-educational survey efforts has reignited resistance from powerful communities, including Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats, who previously slammed the Kantharaju report as flawed and accused it of undercounting their populations. On Sunday, the Samajika Nyaya Jagruthi Vedike warned the state against rushing into another survey. At a roundtable in Bengaluru, members questioned the need for a state-specific count when the Union government has already committed to a caste-based enumeration in the upcoming decadal census. 'The Karnataka government has already wasted 10 years in the name of caste census. A resolution was taken in the meeting to urge the government not to waste people's tax money and time to conduct another caste census,' said Vishnukant Chatapalli, a representative of the forum. He further said, 'The central government will conduct a caste census along with the population census. The caste census will include social and educational aspects as well as cultural details. The Centre will spend ₹ 13,000 crore for this.' Arguing that only Union-collected data would have constitutional legitimacy, the forum demanded the state to release the Kantharaju report to the public and refrain from initiating a parallel process. 'If the state government does not stop conducting separate caste censuses, legal action should be taken,' said Chatapalli. Attacking the government, BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar questioned the chief minister's shifting position on implementing the Hegde report. 'No matter how much pressure comes, we will not accept Jayaprakash Hegde's report. Chief minister Siddaramaiah has repeatedly said that we will implement the recommendations of that report. But why did he change his stance after going to Delhi and returning?' he asked. 'Whether the government accepts or implements the report is a secondary issue. First, it should be released for public awareness.' Responding to these criticisms, Congress MLA Yathindra, Siddaramaiah's son, blamed the previous governments for the delay in caste enumeration. 'Had those administrations responded appropriately and moved forward with the earlier report, we wouldn't be in a position where another survey is necessary,' he said, referring to the BJP and JD(S) governments' inaction on the 2015 report.
