A socio-economic survey report, submitted today, has set off a political row in Karnataka, even though its contents are yet to be made public. The survey, ordered by the previous Siddaramaiah government in 2017, has upset the politically dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga castes, who now want it to be shredded.
The 2017 socio economic survey report was submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today by Jaiprakash Hegde. The Chairman of the OBC Commission walked into Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru at 2.45 pm today -- the last day of his tenure -- and met Mr Siddaramaiah briefly, before addressing the media.
"We have submitted the report. The CM said he will table it in the next Cabinet and decide," he said. The Chief Minister concurred, refusing to comment any further.
Sources said the findings could challenge the dominance of the Lingayat sect and the Other Backward Caste Vokkaliga community as the largest voting blocks in the state.
According to sources and reports published over the last few years, the survey puts Scheduled Castes as the most populous, followed by Muslims. Lingayats come next, followed by Vokkaligas and then other castes.
The report, therefore, has faced stiff opposition. A backlash from the Lingayat and Vokkaliga groups, which claimed the report as unscientific, has made publishing the caste data fraught with risk.
Even state Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who belongs to the Vokkaliga caste, had expressed his opposition earlier. The BJP, dominated by Lingayat leaders, is also on the same page.
Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA from Karnataka, said, "This survey is not scientific. This has displeased the Lingayats and Vokkaligas. We will oppose this. We will request the Congress government to redo this survey by going door-to-door and then we will accept it."
In face of criticism from Lingayat and Vokkaliga leaders of the Congress as well, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has suggested that the report be discussed in the cabinet first. Legal advice and the opinion of experts would be taken if there are anomalies, he promised.
HK Patil, Karnataka's Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said, "I have no comments to make either on the report or on the comments made by our colleagues. Everything depends on whether we accept it or not. We may receive it. We may take some time to study it. Anything might happen."
During the survey, 54 questions were asked to 5,90,00,000 people from 1,30,00,000 families. The survey was first ordered in 2014 by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Rs 169 crore was spent on the project.
Though the report was ready in 2017, it was not accepted due to technical glitches, and successive Chief Ministers delayed accepting it.
The caste census in Karnataka is a delicate and tricky issue. With Vokkaligas and Lingayats raising a banner of revolt, it is not sure if the Congress government would be willing to publish it ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
Siddaramaiah Says Karnataka BJP Chief Took Bribe In Waqf Scam, He Responds Insisting On Belagavi's Merger With Maharashtra "Foolishness": Siddaramaiah Karnataka Orders Inquiry Into Maternal Deaths Linked To Ringer Lactate Solution Video: Rahul Gandhi Approaches BJP MP Who Fell During Protest, This Happens People Seeking Justice For Atul Subhash Chase Rahul Gandhi. He Does This Protests At Parliament Turn Into Injury vs Injury Claims By BJP, Congress Experts Call For Higher 'Sin Tax' On Tobacco Ahead Of GST Council Meet Corruption Case Filed Against KTR Over Hyderabad Formula E Race Issue Bangladesh Man Among 8 Arrested For Plan To Target RSS, Hindu Groups Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.