Wed Jan 15 15:40:50 UTC 2025: **Karnataka Delays Discussion on Controversial Caste Census Report**
Bengaluru, January 15, 2025 – The Karnataka government has postponed a crucial discussion on the state’s caste census report until next week’s cabinet meeting. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the delay Wednesday, citing the need for further deliberation and concerns over misinformation surrounding the report’s findings.
The report, compiled by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, is based on a 2015-2016 survey and has sparked significant controversy. Leaked data, of uncertain authenticity, reportedly shows population figures for dominant communities like the Veerashiava-Lingayat and Vokkaliga groups lower than previously believed. This has led to a united front of opposition from these communities, who are considering joint action against the report’s release.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara emphasized the government’s ₹160 crore investment in the census and the public’s right to access the information, advocating for the report’s official unveiling at the cabinet meeting to prevent potential leaks. However, the delay has fueled further speculation and criticism.
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Thinkers’ Forum criticized the report’s age and suggested the data, nearly a decade old, is irrelevant. The forum proposed an expert committee review or, alternatively, urged the state government to pass a resolution requesting the central government to include caste data in the upcoming general census. The forum is threatening protests if the resolution isn’t passed by March. The last caste census in India was conducted in 1931.
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