On the eve of Karnataka’s long-debated caste census, the Backwards Classes Commission has announced that 33 Christian sub-castes have been removed from the survey’s drop-down list. The decision followed from two of the state’s most powerful communities, the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, who allege that the inclusions are deliberate attempts to sow confusion and divide communities ahead of enumeration.
Commission Chairman Madhusudan Naik, speaking to the media in Bengaluru, confirmed that the social, educational and economic survey would begin on Sunday across Karnataka. While caste and religion entries will remain voluntary, he admitted that the commission had chosen to drop certain castes that were listed under Christianity in previous surveys.
“We have adopted the same procedure as in the earlier Kantaraju survey. The caste list was published in newspapers and objections were invited. Based on public feedback, 148 new castes were added to the earlier 1,413, taking the total to 1,561. But certain Christian castes created confusion and hence 33 of them have been removed from the drop-down,” Naik explained.
The chairman also announced that Aadhaar authentication has been made compulsory for the survey. “We will verify Aadhaar from the head of each household. Already, more than 2 crore households have been geo-tagged. Each block consists of 130-140 houses, and enumerators will be armed with a mobile app loaded with 60 questions. To avoid panic, we have circulated handbills explaining the process,” Naik said.
He further clarified that the caste drop-down list was only a technical tool for enumerators. “The drop-down is not connected to certificates or benefits. It is only for convenience. Citizens can manually enter their caste and sub-caste if they wish. For example, someone may write Brahmin Christian or Vokkaliga Christian in another column,” he said.
The Vokkaliga community, which reacted sharply to reports of their caste being clubbed under Christian categories. On Saturday, a massive community meeting was convened in Bengaluru under the leadership of Adichunchanagiri seer Nirmalanandanath Swamiji, drawing political leaders from across the spectrum.
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, former CMs D.V. Sadananda Gowda and R. Ashok, BJP leaders C.T. Ravi and Ashwath Narayan, along with Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, were among the heavyweights in attendance.
After hours of discussion, the gathering unanimously passed a strong resolution that religion must be entered as Hindu and caste as Vokkaliga in the census, leaving no room for confusion. “We will not accept the inclusion of Vokkaligas under Christianity for any reason. This is misleading, unfair and unacceptable,” Nirmalanandanath Swamiji declared. He further demanded that the government postpone the survey by 45 days until the issue is addressed.
The controversy has, unusually, united leaders from both ruling and opposition parties. Deputy CM Shivakumar, himself a Vokkaliga strongman, endorsed the resolution. Kumaraswamy accused the government of “igniting fire” through reckless handling of caste identities. BJP leader R. Ashok went a step further, warning: “If Christians are shown as Vokkaligas, we will take to the streets. This is a betrayal of our community.”
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje too struck a defiant note. “The government seems determined to create division instead of clarity. We will not stay silent if community identities are distorted,” she said.
The Lingayat community also raised strong objections, accusing the state of ignoring earlier representations. Several Lingayat leaders claimed the move was designed to weaken their demographic strength in the census. “This is not a minor clerical issue. It has long-term implications for reservations, education and political representation. The government cannot afford to play with fire,” a senior Lingayat leader remarked.
The uproar has placed the Siddaramaiah government in a politically sensitive position. On one hand, the caste census is being promoted as a landmark step towards social justice and equitable resource distribution. On the other hand, the backlash from dominant communities, such as the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, threatens to derail the process even before the first enumeration begins.
While Commission Chairman Naik appealed for calm, reiterating that no identity would be compromised, community leaders appear unconvinced. The repeated warnings of street protests and agitations have heightened the sense of crisis.
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