A day ahead of the crucial cabinet meeting to discuss the caste census, officially known as the Socio-Economic and Education Survey 2015, caste associations representing two of the state’s most influential communities have openly expressed their dissatisfaction, faulting the survey for allegedly undercounting their population. The protesting groups – Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha and the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha – have both announced that they will carry out surveys of their respective communities. They even threatened massive agitations against the Siddaramaiah government if the census report is approved.
Speaking to TV9 Kannada, Shankar Bidari, head of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha, said that the Mahasabha would carry out its survey through its units in all 236 taluks.
Shankar Bidari, a former IPS officer, detailed the type of questions that their survey would cover. These would include information about assets such as number of family members, number of children in a family, their education levels, house ownership, land ownership, employment, information about Aadhar card, voter id card etc.
Similarly, B Kenchappa Gowda, president of the Vokkaligara Sangha, also told TV9 Kannada that they would conduct their own survey.
These developments have occurred ahead of the cabinet meeting to discuss Karnataka’s Socio-Economic and Education Survey, popularly called the caste census. The state government finally accepted the survey 10 years after it was submitted to the government by the Backward Classes Commission headed by H Kantharaj.
The state government announced on April 11, that it had accepted the report and that the cabinet would discuss its findings on April 17. This set off a flurry of developments with the two caste associations repeating their claims that the caste census is “unscientific” and that their communities have been undercounted.
Lingayat seer Channasiddharama Shivacharya Bhagwatpadaru of the Srishaila Peetha said, “We don’t accept the caste census. The Lingayat Mahasabha is taking note of the report.”
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Vokkaligara Sangha has also warned the state government of intense agitations and legal action if the report is accepted during the special cabinet meeting scheduled for April 17.
“The survey has grossly underestimated our population. The report claims there are only 61 lakh Vokkaligas in the state, which is a mockery. Are there just 61 lakh Vokkaligas across 224 Assembly seats?” asked Sangha president B Kenchappa Gowda, vowing to bring the state to a standstill through a massive protest in Bengaluru.
The Sangha has also announced plans to conduct its own independent survey using digital tools, while accusing the government of relying on outdated and unscientific methods.
Leaders from the Lingayat community have also expressed solidarity, indicating a broader coalition against the report. “If the government accepts the report, it will be an injustice to Vokkaligas, Lingayats and other communities,” Kenchappa added.
The findings place the Kuruba community—Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s own caste—at 42.7 lakh or 7.5% of the population, and propose carving out a new OBC category that would give Kurubas a prominent position within the state’s reservation structure. This has further fuelled allegations that the report is politically motivated.
Opposition parties, including the BJP and JD(S), have also joined the fray. BJP leader R Ashoka criticised the Chief Minister for unilaterally pushing the report despite opposition from within his own party. “The CM must clarify whether the original caste census report exists, and why it lacks the signature of the commission’s member-secretary. Even DK Shivakumar had earlier called the report unscientific,” he said.
Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy alleged that the report was deliberately leaked by “invisible hands” within the Congress government to create unrest and deflect attention from ongoing corruption allegations. “By supporting this report, DK Shivakumar is signing a death warrant for his own Vokkaliga community,” Kumaraswamy said, warning of a joint opposition front against the report’s implementation.
What has added fuel to the fire is that sections of the English and Kannada media have been reporting on the survey’s findings. Although some of the major findings of the survey were leaked soon after the report was submitted, the government never acknowledged whether or not those numbers were authentic.
According to findings leaked years ago, Vokkaligas constitute 10.3% (61.6 lakh) and Lingayats 11% (66.3 lakh) of the state’s population—considerably lower than the long-held estimates of 14% and 17% respectively. In contrast, the Kurubas, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s community, are shown as comprising 7.5% (42.71 lakh), with a proposal to carve out a new category that would give them greater representation.
However, now, newspapers such as the Kannada daily Prajavani and its sister concern Deccan Herald (an English newspaper) have been publishing stories about other purported findings of the survey, such as the population of some of the major sub-castes within larger caste groups. These include Vokkaliga, Lingayat and OBC sub-castes.
The Akhila Karnataka Brahmana Mahasabha, a caste association of Brahmins, has also repeatedly made similar claims. However, the Lingayat and Vokkaliga associations have been more vocal in opposing the caste census. For several years, Lingayat and Vokkaliga politicians have organised meetings of their respective communities, regardless of their political affiliations, to discuss the caste census.