- Yathindra Siddaramaiah criticises the delay in implementing the caste census in Karnataka
- He claims dominant communities are obstructing efforts to empower backward classes
- The Congress leadership has ordered a new caste survey after the last one sparked controversy
Yathindra Siddaramaiah, the son of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and a member of the state legislative council, has strongly criticised the non-implementation of the caste census in the state, accusing dominant communities of stalling what he called efforts to empower backward classes.
The Congress central leadership has ordered a new caste survey in Karnataka after the last survey conducted in 2015 during Siddaramaiah's previous term sparked controversy with many sections disputing the findings. The data, formally submitted in April this year, deepened the fault lines between the key Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities and other backward class communities.
"If this caste survey had been implemented, it would have strengthened the backwards classes, and we could have given more reservations to them," Siddaramaiah junior said at a private event in Mysuru.
"But some castes opposed it strongly. We couldn't fully implement it as they claimed it's been 10 years since the survey and raised other minor issues, and ensured it's not implemented. We are now having to do a fresh one," he added.
He also pointed out that despite being influential, communities like Vokkaligas and Lingayats are also part of the backward classes and would have benefitted from increased reservation had the report been implemented.
He also highlighted a perceived double standard in how demands for reservation increases are treated, stating that proposals for upper caste reservations face little opposition, whereas similar efforts for backwards classes are met with resistance.
His comments add to the growing discourse around caste-based data and reservation reform in Karnataka.
Last week, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, announced a fresh survey after instructions from the Congress central leadership. They said the decision was taken to take everyone into confidence and ensure a detailed enumeration that will cover everyone and leave no scope for doubts.
