A section of Karnataka Congress leaders have objected to the acceptance of the controversial Socio-Economic and Educational Survey Report by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa termed the caste census as unscientific, stating that the community will not accept the report without a door-to-door survey.
Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni opposed the report, highlighting the concerns of the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities. He expressed worries about the attempt to break the Lingayat community and the current challenges faced by sub-castes within the community. Minister M.B. Patil emphasized the need to ensure justice for the Lingayat community.
Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar pointed out flaws in the report, stating that the door-to-door survey was not conducted properly. Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar also expressed dissatisfaction with the caste census report, labeling it as unscientific. Minister Priyank Kharge, however, claimed that there is no opposition to the report, emphasizing the need for scientific changes.
The leaked information from the report revealed that Scheduled Caste is the biggest community in Karnataka, followed by Muslims, Lingayats, and Vokkaligas. The Kuruba community is identified as the most backward, with ST population pegged at 45 lakh. Lingayats and Vokkaligas have historically been the first and second largest groups in the state.
