'Socio economic survey report by November

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Chairman of Karnataka State Backward Class Commission, K Jayaprakash Hegde on Tuesday said that the socio-economic survey or the caste census report would be submitted to the government before November this year.

A day after Bihar published its caste census report, former Congress general secretary and state MLC BK Hariprasad, MLA Basavaraj Rayareddi and Minister KH Muniyappa had demanded the government release its data on the same which was collected by the H Kanthraj Committee in 2017.

In June this year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had hinted that the government might consider releasing the survey report and had asked the OBC Commission chairman Jayaprakash Hegde to process the data and submit the final report.

OBC Commission Chairman Hegde said that the data in the report is currently being analysed after which the report will be submitted in November.

"Even if the government had not written to us, it is our responsibility to write a report and submit it to the government. Our tenure ends by November end and so we have to give it before that," Hegde said.

Reacting to allegations that the data was not collected scientifically, Hegde said that the survey was done by teachers and government staff and that there was no question of any interference.

“The data collection was not done by any political party. Teachers and others collected the data by visiting door-to-door. It’s almost correct. Even if it is 80 per cent correct it is accepted,” Hegde added.

In 2015, during Siddaramaiah’s first term as the Chief Minister, he commissioned the then OBC Commission chairman H Kantharaj to conduct a socio-economic survey in the state and submit a report.

The report was finalised in 2017 but was never submitted to the government and has been kept in cold storage due to various reasons. The Lingayats and Vokkaligas had opposed the caste census report fearing that it might end their political hegemony.

Sources said that the report claims that SC and ST groups form the majority in the state, followed by Muslims. The Lingayats considered to be the highest population were shown as the third largest group and Vokkaligas who were in second position got the fourth position.

Caste Census & Socio-Economic Survey

• It’s almost correct. Even if it is 80 per cent correct it is accepted says OBC Chairman 
• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had hinted that the government might consider releasing the survey report