Questions raised from several quarter over caste survey; Ministers in a fix

BENGALURU: The caste census report has raised several questions and doubts among various communities. Despite the commission’s claim of a 98 per cent coverage during the survey and 90 per cent in Bengaluru, many are questioning its accuracy.

Some community leaders express doubts over the survey methodology, stating that survey teams didn’t visit their homes. They have questioned how the report can be comprehensive without their input. Certain communities also claim their population is higher than what’s reflected in the report, sparking concerns about discrepancies in population numbers.

The report’s lack of sub-caste data for certain communities, such as Dalits and Muslims, has also raised eyebrows. Some argue that having Left-Right numbers would be beneficial for internal reservations. Furthermore, with population growth over the past decade, some question whether the report can be accepted and implemented now without being unfair to communities that have grown significantly.

Additionally, doubts have been raised about the data’s authenticity, and potential legal issues when implementing the commission’s recommendations. The cabinet, dominated by Lingayat and Vokkaliga ministers, may not make a final decision on implementing the report without further study.

In Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s cabinet, there are eight Lingayat ministers and six Vokkaliga ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. With a total of 14 ministers from these two communities, the cabinet is dominated by Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Given this composition, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah might not take a hasty decision on implementing the report without considering the opinions of ministers from these communities. Instead, he might form a sub-committee to study the report, potentially putting ministers from these two communities in a dilemma.