BENGALURU: Conspicuous omission of Socio-Economic Survey, better known as caste census, from Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah‘s recent budget for 2025-26 has led to speculation that the contentious report may be permanently shelved.
There has been much brouhaha over the report ever since it was submitted in Feb last year, with the Congress cabinet divided over making it public. Siddaramaiah himself is keen on releasing it but has faced stiff opposition from politically dominant castes, with his deputy and Vokkaliga strongman DK Shivakumar himself leading the resistance.
Other cabinet heavyweights like industries minister MB Patil and forest minister Eshwar Khandre, both Lingayats, have also opposed the report. Their main argument is that the data aren’t “scientific” and the numbers are based on “old” census (population) figures.
Intense lobbying by functionaries of dominant communities had forced Congress’ high command to intervene and put a lid on the report. Sources in the chief minister’s office, govt, and Congress indicate the administration might either permanently withhold the report or revise it with updated population figures once the pending central census data are available.
“The problem is that some in the party are unwilling to accept the report,” said a source.
But some senior Congressmen like BK Hariprasad insist the report will be made public at some point. “There is no possibility of backtracking since it is a promise in Congress’s manifesto. Even members of our high command like Rahul Gandhi want a caste census and are pushing for one at the national level,” Hariprasad said.
Hariprasad admitted that though there was no mention of caste census in the budget earlier this month, the report was accepted by govt and must be released. “If there is opposition to the report from dominant communities, then govt needs to decide on amending it with fresh data,” he said.
