BENGALURU: The leadership of the two dominant communities in Karnataka the Veerashaiva Lingayats and the Vokkaligas has welcomed the announcement of a fresh Socio-Economic Survey (SES), but is preparing to conduct parallel digital censuses of their respective communities.
While they support the government’s initiative, both community leaders have expressed concerns about the possibility of under-representation. They plan to counter any discrepancies in the official data with their own figures.
Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha secretary H M Renuka Prasanna told TNIE that software is being developed to facilitate their independent survey. “In every village, individuals will be covered and data will be uploaded to our website. The Mahasabha units at the village level will be equipped to upload regular updates on the birth and death of community members,” he said. A meeting will soon be convened under the chairmanship of Mahasabha president Shamanuru Shivashankarappa to discuss the initiative further.
Similarly, State Vokkaligara Sangha president B Kenchappa Gowda announced that the Sangha would conduct a digital census under the guidance of Adichunchanagiri Mutt head, Dr Sri Nirmalanandanath Swamiji.
“We will oppose any inaccuracies in the caste census being conducted by the state government. It must be scientific to ensure communities receive the entitlements they deserve. If the data is scientifically gathered, we will accept the findings even if the numbers vary,” he stated. He also congratulated Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for initiating the new survey.
Gowda suggested that a retired judge should head the survey exercise to ensure fairness and transparency. He also argued that the 90-day timeframe announced by the Chief Minister was insufficient and should be extended.
The Sangha’s General Secretary, T Konappa Reddy, recommended that the new caste census be linked with Aadhaar and incorporate geo-tagging to include accurate economic details of each family. He also proposed that village accountants and Panchayat Development Officers be involved to enhance the credibility of the data collection.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Pradesh Kuruba Sangha has urged the government to clarify its position on the Kantharaju Commission’s SES-2015 report and the recommendations of Jayaprakash Hegde, former chairman of the commission.
“For the sake of a ‘khal nayak’ in the government, the Congress high command sacrificed the SES-2015 report, which was in favour of providing social justice,” alleged Sangha president K M Ramachandrappa, in a veiled criticism of a cabinet colleague of Siddaramaiah who had opposed the earlier report.
He demanded that the government make public its plans for the SES-2015 report and ensure the recommendations are not discarded.
Ramachandrappa also said the fresh survey must be completed and published within a specific timeframe and should be conducted in a scientific and accurate manner. He proposed forming a joint committee comprising people’s representatives and community leaders from all backgrounds to supervise the survey, as well as an expert panel to prevent future errors.
“If the survey is delayed or mishandled, the oppressed communities will be forced to launch widespread agitations,” he warned.