Tue Apr 29 11:19:33 UTC 2025: **Karnataka Congress MLAs Oppose Caste Census Report, Sparking AHINDA Outcry**
**Mysuru, April 29, 2025** – AHINDA groups in Karnataka have launched a letter-writing campaign urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to intervene in a dispute over the implementation of a Socio-Economic and Educational Survey (caste census) report. The ₹180 crore survey, commissioned by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, aimed to understand the socio-economic conditions of various communities to ensure social justice.
However, several senior Congress MLAs, including Shamanur Shivashankarappa, are reportedly opposing the report and have made critical statements about it. This opposition has angered AHINDA (an acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) communities, who view the report as crucial for achieving political, social, and educational representation.
The AHINDA groups, under the Karnataka State Backward Classes Awareness Forum, contend that the opposition undermines the Congress party’s manifesto pledge to implement a caste census nationwide. They warn that delaying or hindering the report’s implementation could lead to anger and backlash from the AHINDA communities, who form a significant part of the Congress’s support base.
The letter to Mr. Gandhi emphasizes the report’s importance in providing data for targeted social programs and potential reservation adjustments. The forum requests Mr. Gandhi to direct Karnataka Congress MLAs to support the report’s implementation, addressing any minor flaws, rather than dismissing it entirely. The situation highlights a growing internal conflict within the Karnataka Congress party over the implementation of this significant social policy initiative.
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