Over a decade after the Socio-Economic and Educational report, popularly known as the caste census, was commissioned, its report is coming up for discussion in the state cabinet on October 18. It is unclear if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will bite the bullet. If he does, it could open another front for the government battling multiple fronts.
Timing has created a buzz in political circles. The CM is accused of bringing it up now to tide over the current crises by strengthening his position within the party. State and central agencies are probing the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites allotment case and the multi-crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Top echelons in the government are said to be concerned about the Enforcement Directorate probe in both cases, more so in the ST Development Corporation funds transfer scam. The Finance portfolio is with the CM.
Amid the crisis, the CM and his team are said to be working on a political strategy to unveil the caste census report. Perhaps, that was the reason for deciding to take it up on October 18 and not during the last cabinet meeting on October 10.
The Rs 160 crore exercise was commissioned during his first tenure as CM from 2013 to 2018. On several occasions, Siddaramaiah blamed the governments that came to power after 2018 for failing to accept the report from the Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission. H Kantharaju was the commission chairman when the study was commissioned. The report was submitted in February this year by then chairman Jayaprakash Hegde who later unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as Congress candidate.
Now, leaders from backward communities are demanding that the government release the report and accept its recommendations. Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad insisted there should be no compromise in releasing the report even if it leads to the government’s fall. Congress leaders backing the caste survey report are citing Rahul Gandhi’s stand and the party’s Lok Sabha poll manifesto. But not everyone in the Congress is equally enthusiastic. Many are apprehensive about its outcome as it could ruffle many feathers.
In a way, it will send out a message that Congress is going with certain communities without taking note of serious concerns or apprehensions expressed by the dominant communities. Some even feel that it may strengthen Siddaramaiah’s position among AHINDA (Kannada acronym for Backward Classes, Dalits and Minorities) voters and send out a message to the party’s central leadership, in case it considers the possibility of replacing the CM, depending on the course of ongoing probes. However, after its shock defeat in the Haryana assembly elections, Congress central leaders will be wary of taking risks and continue to back its regional satraps to the hilt. The party high command is currently facing fire from the INDIA bloc alliance partners and the focus would be more on taking them into confidence before Maharashtra polls.
Be that as it may, many feel the caste census might be a dangerous proposition for the party in Karnataka. Even if it helps Congress to woo a big chunk of voters from backward classes and strengthen Siddaramaiah’s position, it cannot afford to antagonise the dominant communities. Ahead of the 2018 elections, Siddaramaiah and Congress’ stand on separate religious status for Lingayats had backfired.
Now, Lingayats and Vokkaligas have expressed their apprehension about the caste census report. They are worried that the report puts their numbers less than what they believe them to be and possible misrepresentation of the communities’ socio-economic and educational status. They are predominantly farming communities with a large section of them being economically and educationally backward.
Vokkaliga community’s influential seer Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchangiri Mutt had stated that the report does not capture the real situation, while veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who was recently reelected as president of the Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha, opposed the release of the report.
Their concerns are based on allegedly leaked contents of the report. Many questions were also raised over the credibility and methodology of the enumeration. Did they actually do a door-to-door survey to get the details? How many people were involved in gathering information? What was the methodology followed? Is the State Permanent Backward Classes Commission equipped to take up such a massive exercise? The state government may have answers to all these questions. But no effort seems to have been made to take those expressing concerns into confidence and convince them about the credibility of such an exercise.
In the absence of such an effort, there are chances that many communities may disagree with its findings, though a few may accept it. Although such an enumeration is required for taking up effective policy interventions for the welfare of the most backward classes, an unscientific study could end up disturbing the social fabric.
Irrespective of political strategies, if the government fails to tread cautiously, efforts to gain control over the narrative or tide over the crisis may backfire.
Ramu Patil
Assistant Resident Editor
ramu@newindianexpress.com
