In the wake of the tragic Bengaluru stampede and mounting criticism over the state's handling of the incident, the Congress party has directed the Karnataka government to conduct a fresh caste survey. The decision was made during a high-level meeting in New Delhi, attended by key leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
The primary motivation behind ordering a new survey is to address concerns raised by various communities who feel underrepresented or left out of the previous caste census, which was conducted in 2015 during Siddaramaiah's earlier term as Chief Minister. The data from that survey, formally submitted in April of this year, has been a source of contention, deepening divisions between the dominant Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities and other backward classes.
AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal informed the media that the party has agreed in principle with the work already done by the Karnataka government regarding the caste census. However, considering the apprehensions expressed by some communities about the counting of castes, the Congress party has suggested a re-enumeration process within a stipulated time frame of 60-80 days. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar confirmed that the central leadership has advised the Chief Minister and him to ensure that everyone is heard concerning the caste survey. He added that the survey should be conducted so that no one feels excluded, as several MLAs, ministers, and MPs have highlighted these issues.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also confirmed the development, stating that the state government has granted in-principle approval to the caste survey, which must be completed within 90 days, with the final report submitted on time. The decision was prompted by concerns raised by various communities, associations, and ministers regarding the outdated Kantharaju Commission report, which is based on decade-old data. The Congress government had previously agreed to accept the existing Backward Classes Commission report but will now undertake a re-enumeration to accommodate communities that have raised objections. The fresh opportunity will be given to everyone who felt they were left out in the earlier caste survey. The state cabinet will discuss this, plan, and then ensure justice to all.
The previous survey had recommended re-classification of castes based on socio-economic and educational parameters, proposing six categories instead of the current five and suggesting the removal of exemption from the creamy layer policy for castes in Category 1, which are the "most backward". However, the conclusions of the survey faced opposition from within the Congress, with Vokkaliga and Lingayat leaders arguing that their communities were under-represented.
In addition to the caste survey, the high-level meeting also addressed the government's handling of the recent Bengaluru stampede that resulted in 11 fatalities during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebrations. The Congress leadership reportedly reprimanded the state government over the incident. The state government is already under heavy fire for allegedly prioritizing grand visuals over public safety, and the fresh revelation has further fueled public anger.
The Congress party also raised concerns about what they see as inadequate central plan allocation to Karnataka. AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal stated that the central government is completely neglecting the state of Karnataka on planned allocation and marginalizing Karnataka into a corner, which is not at all acceptable.
