Veerashaiva Mahasabha urges Siddaramaiah to shelve caste census report; Home Minister says it should be made public

Amid the discussion on the Socio-economic and Educational Survey (caste census) conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes returning to the fore, the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to pursue with any process related to it.

Home Minister G. Parameshwara, meanwhile, defended the discussion on the caste census and said people need to know the contents of the survey report.

Before Cabinet

The mahasabha’s demand comes in the light of the Chief Minister announcing that the matter would be brought before the next Cabinet meeting for discussion.

In a resolution passed by the mahasabha following a meeting of present and former elected representatives, including a couple of Cabinet Ministers, it has said that the report has “mistakes”, which need to be rectified. Demanding a fresh, “scientific” survey, the mahasabha said the H. Kantharaj Commission report is 10 years old besides being “unscientific and unconstitutional”.

Three former CMs

The meeting on Tuesday saw the participation of three former Chief Ministers — B.S. Yediyurappa, Basavaraj Bommai, and Jagadish Shettar — besides current Cabinet Ministers Eshwar Khandre, M.B. Patil, Shivanand Patil, and Sharanabasappa Darshanapur. At least 50 current and former elected representatives took part.

However, Dr. Parameshwara said the public should know what is in there in the caste census. “If the report is not placed before the people, it will be a waste. People should at least know what is in it,” he said. The previous Congress government (2013-2018) had in 2015 commissioned the survey in the State at an estimated cost of ₹170 crore, and the report was submitted earlier this year by the commission headed by K. Jayaprakash Hegde.

Replying to a question on objection to the caste census by Veerashaiva–Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities and their demand that the report should not be implemented, Dr. Parameshwara said, “Implementing the report is a different thing. What is there in the report should come out. People have to be informed as to what is there in the report, decisions may happen differently at a later stage.”

Published - October 22, 2024 10:00 pm IST