BENGALURU: If the leaked data of castes in Socioeconomic Educational Survey (SES) - 2015 is to be believed, Muslims make up the single largest community in Karnataka with a population of 76,76,247 (12.83%).
The report contained a 'controversial' split of certain major communities. Apparently, the data, yet to be officially authenticated, showed Muslims as the single largest community, but the clubbed data otherwise showed the Scheduled Castes as the single largest.
The report has to be officially released after a special cabinet meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddarmaiah on April 17.
One of the Congress legislators had shared the leaked data with TNIE.
“The original data had to be split as people from various communities wished to register with their sub-castes with the code given to their respective castes during the survey,” a source informed TNIE, defending the split.
“Not only the Vokkaligas, Lingayats, Veerashaivas, the backward Edigas, Billavas, SC Left and Right, Bhovi, Lambanis, ST Valmiki Nayaka and ST Others’ population was split as per sub-sects and castes,” an anthropologist and Congress sympathiser said.
The Vokkaliga community, which is predominant in the Old Mysuru region, came second with 50,65,642 (8.47%) in the population chart, followed by Kurubas at 44,11,758 (7.38%), SC Left 35,99,895 (6.02%), SC Right 34,98,188 (5.85%) and ST Valmiki-Nayaka 30,31,656 (5.07%). Then comes the state’s dominant Lingayat community at 30,14,696 (5.04%), followed by SC (Others) 19,82,011 (3.31%) and Veerashaiva-Lingayats 17,88,279 (2.99%).
The Kuruhinashetty Lingayat community at 8,325 (0.01%), Ganiga Lingayats 23,483 (0.04%), Beda Jangama Lingayats 24,127 (0.04%), Lalgonda Lingayats 29,280 (0.05%) ,Reddy Lingayats 71,789 (0.12%), Jangama Lingayats 94,282 (0.16%), Nonaba Lingayats 1,61,168 (0.27%), Sadar Lingayats 2,55,456 (0.43%) and Panchamasali Lingayats 10,71,302 (1.79%) were featured as separate entities.
Of 6.35 crore people surveyed, about 37 lakh left out
Likewise, Marasu Vokkaligas at 5,794 (0.01%), Dasa Vokkaligas 17,961 (0.03%), Reddy Vokkaligas 24,059 (0.04%), Hallikar Vokkaligas 30,265 (0.05%), Kunchitiga Vokkaligas 52,290 (0.09%), Halakki Vokkaligas 73,977 (0.12%), SC Lambanis 13,96,909 (2.34%), SC Bhovis 12,12,530 (2.03%), ST (others) 7,92,808 (1.33%), Billavas 6,23,547 (1.04%) and Edigas 4,79,442 (0.80%) have been reflected separately.
The population of Brahmins, traditionally on top of the caste hierarchy, is 17,83,427 (2.98%) at 10th spot among the 167 castes surveyed in Karnataka, including Badagas being the last with 32 members. As many as 3,32,098 people (0.56%) have ‘no caste’.
Other major castes’ status
Thigalas 3,28,902 (0.55%), Besthas 12,70,044 (2.12%), Vishwakarmas 10,88,385 (1.82%), Gollas 9,76,641 (1.63%), Kshatriyas 4,12,188 (0.69%), Gowdas 2,00,715 (0.34%), Bunts 3,25,718 (0.54%), Kumbaras 4,43,492 (0.74%), Arya Vaishyas 4,66,769 (0.78%), Marathas 16,15,667 (2.70%), Upparas 856815 (1.43%), Balijas 796587 (1.33%), Reddys 7,11,377 (1.19%), Ganigaa 7,02,379 (1.17%), Madivalas 6,58,887 (1.10%), OBC (others) 17,68,688 (2.96%), and Devangas 6,30,691 (1.05%). Jains 4,19,375 (0.70%) and Christians 8,61,416 (1.44%).
As per the 2011 census, the population of the state was 6.11 crore. The Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission headed by Kantharaju projected the population at 6.35 crore.
The commission conducted the survey between April 11, 2015 and May 30, 2015, by covering 5,98,13,165 (99.88%) people. About 37 lakh people (5.83%) have been left out in the survey of 6.35 crore.
The survey covered 5,98,14,942 people in the state, urban: 2,04,02,006 and rural: 3,94,12,936.
Scheduled castes: 1,09,29,347 (18.27%), urban: 28,47,232, rural: 80,82,115.
Muslims: 76,99,425 (12.87%), urban: 44,63,030, rural: 32,36,395.
Veerashaiva Lingayats: 66,35,233 (11.09%), urban: 16,61862, rural: 4973371.
Vokkaligas: 61,68,652 (10.31%), urban: 16,95,514, rural: 44,73,138.
Kurubas: 43,72,847 (7.31%), urban: 7,72,641, rural: 36,00,206.
Scheduled Tribes: 42,81,289 (7.1%), urban: 6,60,209, rural: 36,21,080.
Brahmins: 15,64,741 (2.61%), urban: 11,27,070, rural: 4,37,671.
“The SES report is with me. The data has not been leaked. Once in public domain, constructive criticisms on SES will be received,” Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna told reporters on Saturday.
