Cabinet to discuss caste census, report should be made public: Minister Parameshwara

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Paramehwa rao on Tuesday said the socio-economic and education survey report, also known as the "caste census", is likely to be discussed in the next cabinet meeting, as he stressed on the need to make its contents public. He also said that the 50 per cent cap on reservation has to be breached to meet the aspirations of various communities, and the state government would discuss and decide, if need be, as done in other states. "The Chief Minister has said that the caste census report will be placed before the next cabinet and after discussing the pros and cons, a decision will be taken. Accordingly, it will probably come up in the next cabinet. We will discuss it," Parameshwara said.

Addressing reporters, he said the survey was done spending about Rs 160 crore, and if the report is not placed before the people, it will be a waste, and people should at least know what is in it. "If not made public, allegations will be made against our government and the Chief Minister that we covered up the report..." The cabinet is next scheduled to meet on October 28. Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes under its then Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde had on February 29 submitted the report to the CM amid objections by certain sections of society and also within the ruling Congress over its implementation. The Vokkaligas and Lingayats Karnataka's two dominant communities have expressed reservations about the survey, calling it "unscientific", and have demanded that it be rejected and a fresh survey be conducted.

With strong disapproval from the two influential communities, the survey report may turn out to be a political hot potato for the Congress government, as it may set the stage for a confrontation, with Dalits and OBCs among others demanding for it to be made public. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, and a Vokkaliga, was a signatory, along with a couple of other ministers, to a memorandum submitted by the community to the Chief Minister earlier, requesting that the report along with the data be rejected. All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha which has also expressed its disapproval vis-a-vis the survey and demanded a fresh survey, is headed by veteran Congress leader and MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa. Several Lingayat ministers and MLAs too have raised objections. To a question on objection to the caste census by Veerashaiva Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, the Home Minister said, "Implementing the report is a different thing.''