Lingayats and Vokkaligas Gear Up for Caste Census Showdown!

Two powerful communities in Karnataka, the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, are upset with the Congress government over a recent caste census report. They feel this report makes them politically weak. The government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is facing pressure from both its members and outside groups because many lawmakers disagree with the findings of the caste survey.

On April 17, the Cabinet will hold a special meeting to talk about the report. This meeting could change the future of these communities. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is from the Vokkaliga community, is meeting with other Vokkaliga lawmakers to get their views before the meeting. He wants to know how to best represent their interests.

Meanwhile, Laxmi Hebbalkar, a Lingayat minister, has called for another survey to check the community numbers because she disagrees with the current findings. The Vokkaligara Sangha, an important group for Vokkaligas, has plans to rally across the state after April 17, even threatening to bring down the Congress government if the census is put into action.

The Veerashaiva Mahasabha, which looks after the Lingayat community, wants to hire a retired judge to create a new report that better represents their numbers. Lingayat and Vokkaliga community leaders plan to meet together in Bengaluru soon.

The caste census report shows a big shift in community numbers, stating that Muslims are now the largest group. Industries Minister MB Patil, a key Lingayat figure, insists there are more than 10 million Lingayats in Karnataka, which is much higher than what the report says. Many in his community have claimed different categories to keep their reservation benefits.

Various influential leaders in religious institutions are also against the report, calling it flawed. The BJP and RSS political parties have long been wary of caste surveys, fearing it could divide Hindu society. BJP’s N Ravi Kumar has called for a special meeting to discuss the caste census report.