The tabling of the Karnataka Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, also known as the ‘caste census’ before the state cabinet has been deferred by one day. The census was reported to be presented in a state cabinet meeting on January 16. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that the report will now be tabled in a subsequent cabinet meeting.
State Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the state government will analyse the survey report and any decision to be taken based on the report will be the discretion of the government. “It was decided the sealed cover (of the report) will be opened before the cabinet, otherwise it may lead to leakage of information…whether there will be a discussion on it or not, I cannot speak about it now, once opened at least abstract information will be known to us”, Parameshwaram said.
The survey was commissioned by the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015. The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, headed by Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde, completed the survey in 2018. However, the report has not come out since. The commission submitted the survey report to the state government on February 29 last year. Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities of the state have questioned the accuracy of the report and called it unscientific. They demanded a fresh survey to be conducted.
A memorandum was submitted by the Vokkaliga community, which included signatures of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar who is a Vokkaliga, and a couple of other ministers, to the Chief Minister, requesting the report to be rejected. All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, headed by Congress leader and MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, also dismissed the survey report and demanded a fresh survey. The survey report reportedly contains numerical data that may alter the perception regarding the strength of certain communities in the state.
