Pressure mounting on Siddaramaiah govt in Karnataka to make caste census report public
caste survey, pressure seems to be mounting on the Karnataka government, especially within the ruling Congress, to make the state's Socio-economic and Educational Census, popularly known as the 'caste census', public. The then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015 had commissioned the Social and Educational Survey, at an estimated cost of Rs 170 crore in the state, the findings of which have not been made public yet.
The state Backward Classes Commission under its then chairperson H Kantharaj was tasked to come up with the caste census.
According to some analysts, the successive governments were shying away from releasing it, as the findings of the survey are allegedly contrary to the «traditional perception» of the numerical strength of various castes in Karnataka, especially the dominant Lingayats and Vokkaligas, making it a political hot potato.
«What is done in Karnataka is not caste census but social and educational survey that was started in 2015 when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister.
We are analysing the data and we will submit the report to the state government by the end of November,» said K Jayaprakash Hegde, chairperson of Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission, on Karnataka's socio-economic and educational census.
Political parties in the state have been indulging in a blame game for long, for not accepting the survey and not making it public.
Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad complimenting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, urged his party government in Karnataka to release the caste census data at the earliest
«Caste census is a long-standing demand as it will help in getting various communities the right they deserve. It has been the desire
