There is growing clamour in Karnataka to release the report of the Socio-Economic and Education Survey (or Caste Census) conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes in 2015-2016. The report, which has remained pending since then, is back in focus after the Bihar government under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar released the data for the statewide caste survey on October 2.

The commission, then led by H. Kantharaj, had conducted the survey in 2015-16. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is now under immense pressure to make public the findings in the report that have only been known through some alleged leaks.

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The chorus has grown after Congress recently took a position demanding a pan-India caste census. Activists and even members from within the Congress have demanded that the party should have the courage to release the report that is ready.

“Our leader Rahul Gandhi has raised his voice on the injustice meted out to Backward Classes. Karnataka – like Bihar – should show the heart to release the census report that is ready,” said senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad. The leader is believed to be disgruntled with the party leadership after being snubbed for a cabinet berth.

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Notably, Siddaramaiah declared before and after the Assembly elections that his government would accept the report which was ready during the incumbent CM’s previous tenure in 2018. Since then, three Chief Ministers – HD Kumaraswamy, BS Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai – stayed away from accepting the report sensing its potential to cause a political churn in the state.

As per leaked data from the report, the population of the Lingayats and Vokkaligas has been pegged at 14 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively. Both communities wield considerable political influence in the state and are considered key in deciding electoral outcomes. Notably, Lingayatas as well as the Vokkaliga communities are opposed to the government accepting the caste census report.

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They claim that their numbers are much higher than what the survey has estimated them to be. The 2015 caste census, carried out at an expenditure of Rs 160 crore, saw the participation of 1,60,000 people over 45 days, covering 13.5 million households.

“The Siddaramaiah government in 2014 constituted the caste census committee, spending more than Rs 180 crores. Even now, they haven’t released the original document submitted. We’ll definitely put pressure. He promised Karnataka citizens to release the presentation given by the Kantharaj committee,” said HD Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister and leader of the JD(S), which recently announced an alliance with the BJP-led NDA.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s call for a Centre-led caste census also came in for criticism from the BJP. “Hypocrisy is the second name of Congress. People in the country have understood this even from pre-independence days. Let them walk the talk,” party MP Tejasvi Surya said.