Karnataka Caste Census Sparks Backlash; Lingayat Mahasabha Demands Fresh Survey
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is facing growing internal unrest following the leak of a caste census report that has drawn sharp criticism from leaders of the influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities.
With the cabinet slated to meet on Thursday to discuss the findings, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has called for a special meeting of Congress MLAs from the Vokkaliga community on Tuesday evening. “I haven’t gone through the entire report yet, but we are reviewing it. I’ve called our party’s Vokkaliga legislators to discuss how we can ensure that the sentiments of all communities are respected,” he said.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, who belongs to the Lingayat community, said he is also gathering opinions from community leaders and will present a consolidated view at the upcoming cabinet meeting. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has remained silent, pointing out that the issue will be addressed in a special cabinet session. The report was officially submitted on April 10 but hasn’t been made public.
According to the leaked data, Vokkaligas make up 10.3% of the population (61.6 lakh) and are recommended for 7% reservation. Lingayats constitute 11% (66.3 lakh) with a proposed 8% quota. However, internal divisions within the Lingayat community — including Veerashaiva Lingayats (10.4 lakh) and Panchamasalis (10.7 lakh) — have triggered disputes about the accuracy of the data.
The report also pegs Karnataka’s Muslim population at 12.6% (75.2 lakh), recommending an increase in their reservation from 4% to 8%, surpassing the proposed quotas for both Lingayats and Vokkaligas. This has further intensified the backlash.
On Monday, the All India Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha outright rejected the report and demanded a new, more accurate survey. Former DGP Shankar Bidari, head of the Mahasabha, voiced concerns about misrepresentation of the community in the report and warned of political consequences if the government proceeds without addressing the discrepancies.
