Congress to re-enumerate caste data in Karnataka to address concerns

The Karnataka leaders were in Delhi to apprise the Congress high command of various developments.

The Congress top brass on Tuesday asked Karnataka government to hold re-enumeration of caste data in the state to address concerns of some communities who complained of being left out of the survey that was conducted 10 years ago.

The decision was announced by Congress general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal after a meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in the national capital.

The Karnataka leaders were in Delhi to apprise the Congress high command of various developments, including the stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people on June 4.

The move assumes significance as the state government has been facing heat from the opposition and a section of party leaders, who termed the data as unscientific. Several leaders from the influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities have also opposed the report, saying that it was found to be lesser than what had been previously extrapolated.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said: "The caste census was discussed. The Congress party is thinking that whatever the Karnataka government has done in the caste census should be agreed upon in principle. But there are some apprehensions from some sections and communities about the counting of the caste." He noted that the state government had conducted the caste census a decade ago and the data was now outdated.

"Rahul Gandhi, CM of Karnataka, PCC chief of Karnataka, and state in-charge met today. The issue related to the caste census report to be taken up in a special cabinet meeting in Karnataka on 12th June was discussed. Congress believed that whatever the Karnataka government has done on the caste census has to be agreed to in principle. But there are some apprehensions by some sections of the community about the data. Since the caste census was done 10 years ago, the data is a little bit old. The Congress party has suggested that the Karnataka government re-enumerate within a stipulated time, like 60 days, 70 days, or whatever period the government comes up with,” he said, adding that the Karnataka CM will give further details on it.

The announcement comes close on the heels of the Centre announcing the schedule of the national census with caste enumeration.