Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has found itself in the midst of an unexpected storm over its ambitious caste census project. What was meant to be a landmark social and educational survey has triggered confusion, internal dissent, and public outrage after the inclusion of hundreds of new caste categories some of them bizarrely worded as “Christian Brahmin,” “Christian Vokkaliga,” “Christian Lingayat,” “Christian Kuruba,” and “Christian Dalit.”
The move has sparked protests not only from opposition parties and community leaders but also from within the ruling Congress itself. Several ministers, during a heated cabinet meeting on Thursday, warned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that the confusion could harm the government politically if the survey is pushed through in its current form.
Cabinet dissent spills out
Sources confirmed that the cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha turned tense, with some ministers questioning the rationale behind the inclusion of 331 new castes. They argued that unless the errors were corrected, there should be no caste census at all.
More than 20 ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, reportedly urged Siddaramaiah to postpone the survey. Only a handful including CM Siddaramaiah himself, Santosh Lad, Muniyappa, and Bhairati Suresh pressed for continuing the census without delay. A majority of ministers either opposed or remained neutral, creating an unprecedented split within the cabinet.
At one point, ministers interrupted Siddaramaiah, refusing to let him defend the decision. Visibly angry, the CM banged the table, stood up, and walked across the room an unusual show of frustration during a cabinet meeting. He reportedly complained that the controversy was portraying him as a “casteist.”
Confusion over caste list
The heart of the controversy lies in the way the Backward Classes Commission structured the caste list. The linking of Hindu caste names with Christianity drew sharp criticism from religious groups and community leaders. Opposition leaders mocked the move as an insult to both Hindus and Christians, while some Congress ministers themselves demanded urgent corrections.
Faced with pressure, Siddaramaiah has instructed the Commission to drop references that clubbed Hindu castes with Christianity. He also directed that any community confusion be resolved by allowing respondents to self-identify their caste in a separate column, with verification to follow during tabulation.
The final decision on whether to remove the additional castes and proceed with the survey is expected after further deliberations with senior ministers, including H.K. Patil, Eshwar Khandre, M.B. Patil, Shivraj Thangadgi, and others.
Waste of resources adds to controversy
Adding to the embarrassment, it has emerged that the Commission had earlier printed caste census manuals with 53 questions, at a cost of nearly Rs 1 crore. After revising the structure to 50 questions, nearly two lakh printed manuals were discarded as waste, sparking allegations of financial mismanagement. Opposition leaders have ridiculed the exercise, calling it “burning money in water.”
Despite the uproar, the survey was scheduled to begin on September 22. A meeting at the CM’s official residence, Kaveri, on Friday morning discussed last-minute corrections to the survey app and caste list.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Santosh Lad insisted that the controversy was exaggerated. “There is no dissatisfaction. There is no confusion. This is not a caste census but an economic and social survey. The Kantaraju report cannot be ignored, and this survey will proceed on schedule,” he said.
Lad argued that the objective was to gather accurate data on poverty and social status across communities, not to divide people by caste. “After the survey, the committee will finalize a report which will be presented to the cabinet. If there are errors, we will correct them. But the purpose is not caste politics, it is welfare planning,” he added.
On opposition threats to challenge the survey in court, Lad remarked: “They have the right to go to court. But what if people who left their religion return tomorrow? Shouldn’t we account for that?”
BJP’s attack on Congress
The opposition BJP leaders mocked the Congress, saying the cabinet itself lacked consensus on a key policy decision. “If Siddaramaiah cannot convince his own ministers, how can he convince the people of Karnataka? This is confusion, corruption, and mismanagement rolled into one,” BJP spokespersons quipped.
They further alleged that the government’s handling of the caste census was politically motivated, aimed at dividing communities ahead of future elections.
